


What Happens in Vegas

by SpencerRemyLvr



Category: Criminal Minds, X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Gay Marriage is Legal, M/M, Spencer as a Summers, Spencer is a mutant, Troubled pasts, badly written Cajun accent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-15
Updated: 2014-05-15
Packaged: 2018-01-24 22:40:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 95,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1619558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpencerRemyLvr/pseuds/SpencerRemyLvr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happens when Spencer goes to Vegas single and comes home...married? This story is Slash, Spencer/Remy, AU, and one possibility of what could happen after events in Meet the Team. More info inside!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> When I wrote "Meet The Team" I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to come after it. So, nerd that I am, I wrote THREE possible sequels. Yeah, three. I know, I know, nerd. :P There's one where Spencer's injured and brought to live with his brothers at the mansion, there's one where the three brothers get into a crash, and then there's this one. None of those three are connected to each other, they're just all potential sequels to MTT. But here is this one and I hope that you enjoy it. :) If characters are a little OOC, you have my apologies. And please pardon my badly written accent lol

“The Night Before”

What prompted him to leave his room and seek out the hotel bar that night, Spencer wasn’t quite sure. It might have been that he was just tired of staring at the walls of his hotel room; or maybe it was just that this last visit with his mother this afternoon hadn’t gone anywhere near as well as it should have and he couldn’t seem to stop hearing her screams as she’d gone into an absolute panic over a single conversation. Whatever it was, he found himself sitting at the bar, nursing a glass of cognac and watching the news that was playing on the small TV at the corner of the bar. Not that he was really paying attention to what the news was saying.

He took a sip off the cognac and enjoyed the flavor on his tongue. Just recently he’d been given the okay to have alcoholic beverages again. He grimaced as he thought of what had caused that. Memories of that case and everything since then swam to the forefront. So many things had happened over the past few months. That case in Canada that had tested all of their strength; then just back home and on to the next case with Dr. Barton. That was the case that had ended with not only Spencer in the hospital, but Aaron as well.

Absently Spencer rubbed at his knee, not really paying much attention to things around him anymore. Though he was finally off the crutches and done with the cane, there were still days that his knee gave a little extra ache as if to remind him of the gunshot that had once ripped its way through him. He had earned that shot to his leg by protecting a good man from their Unsub and it was a choice he had never once regretted, no matter the consequences of it. His leg had healed, but it had been an extensive recovery. It had taken time before he was even allowed out of the hospital and then even more time before he could move around on his crutches without too much pain. Then more time before his body was considered healed enough for him to start returning to semi regular activity. During that time, his brothers had come to stay with him, helping to take care of him and driving him slowly insane. At least, Alex did. Then again, that was just a part of his and Alex’s relationship. Scott joked that they existed to drive one another crazy.

But finally, finally, he had been cleared to return to work and he had been absolutely thrilled by that. Sitting around the apartment was not something he was good at. So, still on crutches but eager to work, he’d gone back to the Bureau. Then had started the months of a whole new kind of horror. Aaron had been hospitalized on the same day as Spencer for entirely different reasons. One horrible, horrendous reason. Foyet. After being attacked in his own home, the Unit Chief had been stabbed repeatedly and then taken to the hospital by Foyet himself. That had started a cascade of events that had ended up changing Aaron’s life beyond what any of them had thought they’d see. It had ended in the horror that day at the Hotchner household. Never would Spencer forget the sound of that final phone call between Aaron and Hayley, that tearful goodbye that none of them should have been listening in on, and then that final gunshot that had ripped their Unit Chief’s life apart. The only things they all found to be grateful for were that Foyet was dead and Jack was alive.

It had taken time after events for them all to get back to work. But eventually, that was what they had done, Aaron included. They had come together and they had tried to not only heal themselves, but help their leader heal.

When Spencer had finally finished with his cane, when he was finally told that he was completely healed and all his PT was done, he’d requested two weeks’ time off from his boss and had gone to Vegas for a week to spend some time with his mother. Tomorrow, he would go home and spend the last week there, taking some time to himself to get his mind and body in order. After all this, one thing right after another, he felt as if he’d been going nonstop for so long now. He just needed a little time to decompress and to find himself underneath all this once more. The emotions from all this, the seemingly never-ending grief he felt coming off of Aaron, was pushing his shields and dragging down his energy. Sometimes, empathy was a true curse. Spencer felt as if he had been grieving right alongside Aaron and, as selfish as it was, he needed this vacation to step away from that grief and find a way to feel happy once more.

Someone sat down beside him, startling him out of his thoughts a little. “Bourbon, _s’il vous plait_.” A man asked the bartender.

The thick Cajun accent made Spencer smile and he turned in his seat. On his first night in Vegas, he’d been here at the bar having a drink by himself when another man had come into the bar and sat down as well, a few seats away. Spencer had admired the man discreetly; he was extremely attractive. Auburn hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. A handsome, striking face, even with the sunglasses on. He’d been dressed in jeans, a long sleeved t-shirt and a trench coat, and somehow managed to make it look better than the people who obviously put a lot of effort into trying to look good.

The man had seemed to sense him looking and he’d said a polite greeting. They’d had a casual conversation, discussing whether they were there for business or pleasure, those kinds of things. Typical things you say with someone you’ve never met before. Then Spencer had gone to his room and that had been that. But the next night the man had been there again and this time, they’d talked a little more until Spencer found himself moving over to sit closer to better be able to talk to him. It had surprised him, how easily he spoke with a complete stranger. They’d discussed work—currently the man, who introduced himself as Remy LeBeau, said he was unemployed—and Spencer had gotten the usual questions about what a profiler was. But surprisingly, Remy had actually seemed interested in the answer. He hadn’t been turned away by Spencer's list of degrees, revealing instead that he had a Masters in Art and Art History.

Hours had gone by as they’d talked and drank and laughed. It had been…amazing. Spencer found himself relaxing in a way he never had with a stranger before. For the next few nights, they’d met up in the bar and continued their conversations, talking about everything from books they liked to read to different periods in history. They’d talked about places they wanted to travel to and sights they wanted to see one day. Things they’d never learned that they wanted to one day—Remy wanted to learn to speak Russian while Spencer wanted to learn an instrument—and even a little about their families. Amazingly enough, he’d even found himself telling Remy about visiting his mother in the sanitarium.

Spencer deliberately left off the names of his brothers, not wanting to bring them into the conversation. Somewhere along the second day he’d caught a glimpse of Remy’s eyes behind his sunglasses and had seen the red iris and black sclera and knew that the man was a mutant. The last thing Spencer wanted was to bring them up and have this man know them and start seeing him as Scott and Alex’s brother instead of Spencer. But he did tell him about being adopted out when he was little and how his brothers had stayed with his dad, but he’d grown with his mom’s relatives. In turn, Remy had admitted that he’d lived on the streets as a kid and had been adopted when he was ten. They’d even eventually talked about their mutations; discreetly, of course.

Never before had Spencer grown this close to anyone this quickly. So much so that the idea of leaving Vegas and never seeing this man again was almost painful. Never before had someone ever really showed interest in him. Maybe Remy was just going to turn out to be a fantastic friend, there was no knowing, but Spencer knew he couldn’t leave without at least finding a way to keep in contact with him. For almost a week now they’d been meeting and visiting nightly in this bar. What he’d gained here, the friend he’d found, Spencer didn’t want to lose.

Remy turned and smiled at him as he picked up the bourbon the bartender brought him. “Evening, _mon ami_. Y’r looking almost glum over here tonight. Not having a good day?”

“Just a long visit with Mom. She had a bit of a…bad day.” He looked a little closer at Remy’s face and saw just a hint of tightness at the edges of his eyes, barely visible behind his glasses. There were a few lines on his handsome face as well that weren’t usually there. “What about you? You look as if you haven’t slept since I saw you last night.”

Remy snorted and a corner of his mouth quirked. “Aint y’ just de charmer, cher.”

The teasing words had Spencer flushing a little. Before he even had a chance to try to apologize, Remy was waving a hand in front of him and laughing. “ _Non_ , don’t y’ worry about it. I wasn’t serious, _mon ami_. Just teasing y’, me.” Chuckling at Spencer's little glare, Remy took another drink from his glass. “Honestly, I aint really slept much since I saw y’ last. M’ brain seems to be working overtime, _tu sais_? Just t’ink I need a distraction, me.” Suddenly Remy’s face lit up and Spencer felt the good humor in him. “Y’ know what we need, mec? We need to go out and cut loose a little. Get our lazy asses off dese stools and go have some fun. We’re in Vegas! We should be able to find something fun to do. A club, maybe. Go dancing!”

Dancing? The very idea of it had Spencer taking a big drink off his cognac. “I don’t know…” Embarrassed, he flushed a little and looked down at his glass. “I don’t really, you know, dance, Remy. I’m sort of lacking in the grace department.”

“It’s all in de leading.” Remy insisted. His grin grew a little. “Y’ trust Remy; we get out dere, y’r gonna have a ball. _S’il tu plait_?”

How on earth was he supposed to resist that? To his surprise, Spencer found the idea not as horrible as he might have thought. It would not only allow him more time with the attractive Cajun, he would get to get that much closer to him. That alone was enough to have him considering agreeing. Granted, he’d have to attempt to dance. But with Remy ‘leading’ him, they would probably get to be very, very close and that idea appealed to Spencer immensely. He bit his lip and looked at his new friend and he felt a little devil on his shoulder, urging him to just say yes. To, for once in his life, push aside his shyness and reach for what was in front of him. To do something impulsive and so unlike him. Something…fun. “Why not.” He found himself saying before he could change his mind.

Remy lit up and he lifted his drink, downing it in one gulp before rising and taking hold of Spencer's hand. “Come on, den, cher. Let’s hit de town! Dis gonna be a fun time, y’ll see.”

Laughter tickled Spencer's throat. The last drink of cognac went down smooth and he set the glass down with a tip for the bartender before allowing Remy to almost pull him out of the hotel bar. “Remy! Slow down. Don’t we need to, I don’t know…go put on something a little more club suited?” He glanced down at his slacks, button down shirt and his vest. Not exactly stylish club wear; not that he really owned much else.

Pausing, Remy turned to look him over from head to toe before flashing him yet another grin. He looped his arm through Spencer's. “T’ink y’ look _beau_ , me. Aint no one out dere we’re looking to impress, Spencer. We aint gonna see any of dese people after tonight, so what does it matter what dey t’ink? Tonight is about us and escaping de troubles of de world fo’ a lil bit. Y’ up fo’ dis?”

They stepped out the front doors and Spencer found himself smiling when he turned his head to look at Remy. “Bring it on, my friend.”

With a laugh, the two took off down the streets.


	2. Chapter 2

“The Morning After”

It was the pounding in his head that finally pulled Spencer up out of sleep. He groaned as his heartbeat seemed to throb in his temples and behind his eyes. Oh, man, how much had he drank last night? His body curled up a little and one hand came up to cup his head. Unfortunately, movement brought to life the rest of his body as well and Spencer became aware of a whole other sensation that was so much worse than a headache. Nausea rolled in his stomach and Spencer swore he felt everything he’d drank come sliding up toward his throat. Never had he moved as fast as he did right then, hopping up from bed and racing into the bathroom.

Just barely did he manage to make it to the toilet. He dropped down to his knees in front of it in just enough time. Hands braced on either side of the seat, he emptied everything in his stomach, his head pulsing with each heave. How long he stayed bent like that, he had absolutely no idea. Eventually the heaving stopped and he felt safe enough to lift a hand and flush the toilet. Still, he stayed kneeling there just in case, not wanting to try to move and end up having to throw up once more. His throat burned and his mouth tasted absolutely awful. Oh man, this was why he didn’t drink in excess and, when he did indulge, this was why he didn’t mix the types of alcohol he drank. That was always guaranteed to make him hung over. If he just stuck to one kind, he usually did pretty well. How much had he had to drink?

He remembered leaving the bar and finding a club somewhere down the road. There had been a few drinks in there before Remy had been able to convince Spencer to go out on the dance floor. They’d loosened him up enough that he actually enjoyed himself out there. At least, so long as he let Remy lead him. The man had been right; it was all in who was leading. How long they’d danced, he had no idea. Eventually they’d left that place and gone to another. There’d been more drinking and more dancing and talking. Flirting. They’d flirted so heavily. Then more drinking.

Spencer shifted, realizing suddenly that he wasn’t wearing anything. Surprise had him looking down at himself. He didn’t sleep nude. Where were at least his boxers? He shook his head and almost instantly regretted it. Ohhhh. By sheer will did he managed to hold back the nausea, closing his eyes and forcing it back down.

When he opened them once more, he looked down to where his hands were still gripping the toilet seat. That was when something caught his attention. Something that had his whole body going still. Was that…a ring? Holy shit. He lifted his left hand, holding it out in front of him. That was a band on the ring finger of his left hand. _It can’t mean what I think it means. It just can’t. There’s absolutely no way…_ his thought cut off as his brain started to catch up with the rest of him. Images flashed in his mind, beyond the second club. Going out and wandering on the strip, popping in at a bar to have another drink and getting kicked out for laughing too much and disturbing the rest of the bar. More wandering. Then, a wedding chapel. Spencer closed his eyes as he remembered saying something about how he’d never end up married and Remy saying he’d been married once but it had been annulled. Who had suggested they go in, he didn’t know. But they’d gone in. His memories of the ceremony were foggy, but they were there.

How the hell had they done this? How the hell had _he_ done this? He’d grown up here! This was his hometown! He knew all about the drunken couples that came and married in Vegas. It was a running joke that there were just as many rush divorces or annulments as there were marriages in Vegas. How could he have let this happen? How the hell could he have done something so…so clichéd?

There was warmth at the edges of Spencer's mind only moments before the bathroom door started to crack open. He found he could only lift his eyes to look as the door opened and Remy came walking in, wrapped in a hotel robe, a glass of water in his hand. His sunglasses were gone and his hair was loose, bangs dangling in his face. Maybe it was a stupid time to think of it, yet Spencer couldn’t help thinking how good the man looked. At the same time, more memories flashed in his head, just vague little glimpses, but they were enough to have his cheeks heating. Not only had they married, it appeared they’d come back here and…and consummated the marriage as well. Oh, man.

“Here, I brought dis fo’ y’.” Remy’s voice was pitched low and careful, obviously trying not to aggravate Spencer's head. There was a cautious note as well, almost as if he were afraid of something. With slightly hesitant movements, he held a hand out to Spencer with two little ibuprofen in it. The young doctor took them gratefully, accepting the glass of water after to wash them down and wet his throat. “Thanks.” He croaked out.

Remy took a robe off the hook on the door and moved over, draping it over Spencer. Then he surprised the man by folding himself down to the floor, leaning against the door a safe distance away. “How much of de night do y’ remember, _homme_?”

Ah. That was why he’d sat. As strange as it felt to be having this conversation in a bathroom, Spencer didn’t really trust himself to be far from the toilet right now. He slowly moved his arms and slipped them into the sleeves of the robe, pulling it closed before shifting to get off his knees and sit on his hip, leaning against the tub a little. “Enough.” He finally answered. He held out his left hand, happy to see that it wasn’t shaking anymore. The simple gold band there seemed to shine a little in the bathroom light. Remy lifted his hand as well, showing a matching band. Still hesitant, the Cajun pulled his hand back to his lap, folding his hands there and looking down. “I uh, I’m pretty sure we ah, consummated de marriage as well.”

The fear on Remy’s body was a little more obvious now. His shields were up so Spencer couldn’t pick up anything that way anymore. However, he was a profiler. Reading body language was his living. And right then, Remy’s body was practically screaming out how afraid he was. Spencer found himself reacting to that, seeking to soothe. “I’m pretty sure we did too. It would be nice if I could remember just a little bit more of that part of things.” He said it hoping to get a smile, despite embarrassing himself to do it. He succeeded. Remy’s eyes flashed up and a little grin tugged at the edges of his lips for a moment before fading away. Then he was fiddling with his fingers once more, looking down at his lap. “What’re we gonna do about dis, cher?”

What _were_ they going to do? Spencer lifted his right hand, wiping it over his face, trying to wipe the grittiness out of his eyes. He realized he still had his contacts in and grimaced. The pair would be ruined now. Quickly he reached up and took them out, one by one, tossing them into the garbage. Luckily he kept a few spare pairs, one of which was in his bag. That done, he settled back down, still thinking about Remy’s question. What were they going to do? The most logical answer said to go downtown and start the process for their divorce. That was the logical thing to do. The smart thing. They barely knew one another! One week of talking and occasional flirting was not a steady basis for a marriage. Dating, yes. He would have done that happily. But not marriage. So…why wasn’t he saying that? Why wasn’t his mouth forming those words? Instead he found himself saying something else entirely; something that was much more honest. “I don’t know.” Looking at his hand, he touched the band there, twirling it around his finger. “What do you want to do?”

Remy’s answer was slow in coming. “I...don’t know either. Was raised not to believe in divorce, me. May not be full practicing, _mais_ I was raised Catholic. Divorce just aint something we believe in.”

“Didn’t you say last night you were married once before?” Spencer asked him carefully. “I think I remember that.”

“ _Oui_. Married Bella Donna Boudreaux. Such a _belle_ _femme_. _Mais_ , t’ings were complicated. De marriage didn’t even last beyond de night. After…certain t’ings, Remy was forced to leave N’Awlins. Within de week, her _père_ had de marriage annulled.” He paused, chewing on his lip a little, and it looked like he was gathering his courage to say something. Since Spencer had no idea what to say, he sat and waited. It only took a moment before Remy found that courage and said what was on his mind. “I just, I’m t’inking dere had to be something dere fo’ us to do dis, cher. Even drunk, I aint de type to do stupid t’ings. And y’ don’t seem like de impulsive type.”

A wry chuckle slid out. “Not typically. Last night is definitely my first experience in impulsive behavior.” The chuckle faded away and Spencer found himself watching Remy, much more alert. His head seemed to have cleared a little with the seriousness of this topic. “Remy…are you trying to tell me that you want to stay married?” He couldn’t believe the words as they came out of his mouth. “Is that what you really want? It’s a huge thing, to be married to someone; a serious commitment to make to someone whom you barely know.” _Exactly! So why aren’t you telling him to get ready so you can go end this sham of a marriage? Why are you sitting here contemplating what he’s saying? Are you seriously going to stay married to him? To someone you barely even know_? But…he did know Remy. He’d gotten to know him quite well this past week. In turn, he’d let Remy in to more of his life than he had some people he’d known for years. Didn’t that count for something?

A sad, slightly distant look came over Remy’s face. “Remy’s at a bit of a standstill in his life. Don’t got nothing going on right now. Just, drifting, yeah. Dere aint nothing holding me here. Aint nothing holding me nowhere no more.” Pausing, he looked down at his lap, fingers still fiddling together nervously. “Maybe dis…maybe it’s m’ chance to start over. Don’t know what dere is between us, cher. Don’t know what it is, but it’s something, yeah? Y’ make me feel t’ings and I aint felt anyt’ing in so long now. Just, just de cold. Somet’ing about y’, it takes de cold away. I don’t wanna lose dat.” His eyes lifted to Spencer's. “I’ll put m’ all into dis, if y’ let me, and maybe one day y’ might find y’ like having dis Cajun around. Don’t care if y’ work long hours, cher. Y’ve told me bout y’r work and I aint gonna ask y’ to give dat up. I’ll find t’ings to do at home. I’ll make y’ a home y’r proud to come back to, if y’ let me.”

Something in that speech reached down inside of Spencer and touched his heart. Over the years, he had come to the conclusion that he was meant to live his life alone. That he would one day play the part of Uncle happily, or fulfill his role as Godfather, but that he would be left alone to watch his friends get married, have families. Maybe one day when he retired he’d join Scott at the school, become a teacher there and educate the children of the world; teach young mutants like he had once longed to be taught. But always he’d seen that future alone and it always left a pang in his heart. Yet right here in front of him was a man he barely knew, offering him everything he could have ever wanted in this soft, earnest tone. It was easy to see and to judge by Remy’s words today and over the last week that some horrible things had happened to him in his life, some of them recently, and he was a little lost right now. But that didn’t take away from the sincerity of his words. He meant exactly what he said.

That honesty brought up Spencer's own, prompting him to say “I’m not the type of person someone would want to tie themselves to, Remy. People like you, they don’t fall for people like me. One day, you’ll realize that.”

Remy lifted his eyes once more and they locked on Spencer's face. “Cher, I’d count m’self lucky to have someone like y’, no matter what y’r problems are. Aint none of us perfect. _Merde_ , it’s more likely y’ll realize dat _I_ aint good enough fo’ _y’_. A t’ief, especially a Master T’ief, married to a Fed?”

Never once had Remy shied away from the fact that he was a thief and that he had been raised to be one. That was something that he had absolutely no shame in and something that Spencer didn’t hold against him. After all, with Alex and Scott as brothers—men that were technically considered terrorists by the government—how could he condemn anyone? It didn’t matter to him to be married to a proclaimed Master Thief. One that he knew would not give up his craft simply because he was married. Spencer wouldn’t ask him to, either. That was as much a part of Remy as his hair color or his eyes.

It was with that thought that Spencer realized he’d made his decision. As absolutely insane as it was, and even knowing the staggering amount of statistics that stood against them somehow managing to make this work, he still had his answer. And despite all of the negatives that he could list for this, Spencer found himself smiling just a little. “Are we Reid, or LeBeau?”

Remy’s head jerked up, wide eyes locking on Spencer's face, and it was easy to see the surprise there. “ _Quoi_?”

“I don’t recall what we put on the paperwork. Are we Reid, or LeBeau? I need to know if I need to take care of name change information at work.”

Something unfurled in Remy’s face, something Spencer couldn’t quite put a name to. However, there was no mistaking the huge grin that stretched over his face or the happiness Spencer's empathy picked up. “Reid.” The man answered. “Dr. and Mr. Reid.”

“It has a nice ring to it.” Spencer said softly. He met Remy’s eyes and he shared a smile with him. “I can’t make any promises that this will work, or that it’ll be easy. But you’re right when you said there’s something here. I’ve known people for years that know less about me than I’ve told you in this past week, Remy. And I can admit I’ve been attracted to you from day one. There’s definitely something there between us. I’d be a fool to walk away from it now. If you’re willing to try, to put your all into this, then so am I. I don’t exactly have experience in, well, in relationships, but I’m willing to try to learn if you’re willing to be patient with me.”

Moving out of his sitting position, Remy came over to kneel in front of him, reaching out to take his hands. He brought them up, pressing a kiss against his knuckles on each hand. “Y’ won’t regret dis, Spencer. I’ll be a partner y’ can be proud of.”

Slightly flustered, Spencer felt his heart skip a little beat at the sweet gesture. “Just be yourself, Remy. That’s the person I’ve gotten to know this week and the one I want to continue to get to know.” With another smile, he looked around before looking back to Remy. “Now, would you mind helping me up? I think I’ve rather had enough of sitting on a dirty hotel bathroom floor. I’d like to find some clothes and maybe see what time it is. We’ve got some things to take care of and my flight out is set for two.”

Remy straightened up, holding on to Spencer's hands and pulling a little to help him carefully rise to his feet. Spencer went slow, mindful of the headache that was still there and the nausea that was mostly gone. Once he was upright, Remy gave him a second to gather himself before saying “It’ll be easy enough to get a second ticket on de flight. I aint got nothing to gather b’fore we go. All m’ stuff is in m’ rucksack in m’ room.”

Those words brought home exactly how serious Remy had been before when he’d said ‘ _Remy’s at a bit of a standstill in his life. Don’t got nothing going on right now. Just, drifting, yeah. Dere aint nothing holding me here. Aint nothing holding me nowhere no more_.’ It broke Spencer's heart a little to realize that Remy had been being brutally honest. A rucksack of things was all he had? A rucksack and a hotel room?

Reading those emotions, Remy squeezed his hand. “It’s all right, cher. Less to pack, yeah?”

“Yeah.” In his mind, Spencer resolved to take the man shopping once they were in DC and get him a few things. A person needed more than could fit in a single rucksack. And despite what people thought when they saw his small apartment, he really did have enough money stored away in his account. He had enough he could afford to live in a house if he so wanted, easily. He just had never seen a reason to before when it was only him and he was generally working.

This may have be one of the single most insane things he had ever done. His friends, his team, his family, were going to be beyond shocked by this all. He knew that most of them would probably try to talk him out of it in some way. Alex would probably fly out just so he could yell at Spencer about how stupid he was. Scott would come out too, to keep Alex in check and to meet Remy and decide for himself what he was like. But, ultimately, Spencer knew his brothers would support whatever made him happy. That was all they ever wanted for him.

Yes, this whole thing was crazy and extremely impulsive and so very out of character for him. Yet as they walked out of the bathroom, he couldn’t keep the smile off his face. For once, he wasn’t going to care what others thought of him. He was going to do something for himself; something that he wanted. He was going to think of himself. And damn, did it feel good.


	3. Chapter 3

Remy had been right; it was easy enough to get a second ticket on Spencer's flight. Somehow, the man even managed to get their seats next to one another, a feat that had Spencer raising an eyebrow and Remy just grinning at him. Eventually Spencer shook his head and decided it was like dealing with Garcia; sometimes it was just better not to know certain things. But it was with that purchase of the ticket that Spencer learned that, while Remy may not have had a home currently, he was by no means destitute. He had cash he could draw on and made sure that Spencer knew this. “Don’t want y’ t’inking I’m just gonna live off y’, Spencer. I aint coming to y’ with nothing at all.”

Because Spencer didn’t understand why that was a big deal, though he could sense that it _was_ important to Remy, he just shrugged and said. “It doesn’t really matter either way to me. Money is just money.” He’d seen the surprise on Remy’s face at that and didn’t understand what it was for. So long as bills were paid, Spencer didn’t really worry about the rest of the money that he had. He didn’t attach the importance to it that some other people in the world did. A person’s value wasn’t measured by how much money they had.

Once their things were gathered, the duo had checked out of the hotel and made their way toward the airport.

Things seemed to just speed past. Getting into the plane, then the flight itself. Usually a flight felt as if it took forever for him and yet now it seemed to race past. Remy curled into his seat beside Spencer so that he was facing him and he asked Spencer all sorts of questions. He asked about what the apartment looked like, about the part of town that he lived in. Spencer described his place, trying not to be a little embarrassed at telling him not only how small it was, but how, well, nerdy he was. The books and the other things in there that showed the true nerd he was. After his description, he quickly amended it by saying “I’ve been thinking, though. My place is small, even for just me, and my team has been nagging at me to move to somewhere better for quite a while now but each time I’m home, I put it off in lieu of relaxing a little. I’ve got a week left before I have to go back to work. If you’d like, we could take that time to try and find a place a little more suited for us.”

“If dat’s what y’ want. I don’t wanna make y’ give up y’r place just fo’ me, Spencer.”

“It’s just an apartment, Remy. It’s not anything special to me. When I moved in, it was cheap and close to the bus lines.” Spencer admitted wryly. “I haven’t stayed there because I particularly want to, but because I’ve just never gotten around to finding something better.”

He was rewarded with another of those smiles he’d so come to enjoy this week. “Den we’ll take a look and see what we find. I’m sure we’ll find somet’ing we like, me.”

Spencer had no idea how this was so easy. It should have been hard, he thought. There should have been discomfort and difficulties. Yet this just all felt so easy. They sat on the flight and talked the same as they had since they’d met, only this time Remy’s hand reached over, fingers lightly resting on Spencer's leg, occasionally tracing a pattern there. It was an almost absentminded gesture and it was surprisingly pleasant. Their conversations were just as relaxed as they had been, that same ease there that had made them become friends so fast, only there was a slightly different edge to them now. Now they knew they wouldn’t be separating at the end of it all; they wouldn’t be going back to their individual rooms alone. They were going home together. Going to make a home together.

Then there were the small flashes Spencer kept getting in his mind. The little bits of memory that were peeking through the drunken haze of the night. Sometimes Remy would smile a certain way, or tip his head just right, and Spencer would get a flash of skin in his mind, of heat and closeness, of words whispered in a semi darkened room. It took everything he had to control his reactions to that. He hadn’t been lying when he’d told Remy that he really wished he could remember a little more of that part of the night. For a week he’d been privately indulging in little fantasies about this attractive man. To have been with him…he would really like to be able to remember it all. What he did remember seemed, well, wonderful.

That did lead him to a thought that was just a little difficult, one of the many questions he had in his head and that he had no immediate answer for. How would that aspect of their new marriage work? What would happen tonight when they were at the apartment and it was time for bed? Sleeping beside someone, the idea was a little nerve wracking. He’d always slept alone. How would he handle sleeping with someone beside him? What would he do if Remy expected them to, to…what if Remy expected sex? What would he do? Would he be okay with that? Could he do that, stone cold sober, without letting his personal fears get in the way? It surprised him how worried about that he was, yet how _eager_. The question was more, what would he do if Remy _didn’t_ want that aspect of things yet? Because Spencer was scared—terrified, really. His sexual experience wasn’t that much—but he was also very, very eager. He wanted this beautiful man.

A hand hesitantly touched his, a light little brush that drew Spencer up and out of his thoughts. He blinked to clear his eyes before looking at Remy. “Hm?”

“Y’ was t’inking too hard.” Remy teased him with a little smile. “Y’ didn’t hear me calling y’r name.”

“Oh.” Embarrassment flooded Spencer's cheeks and had him dropping his head to look down at his lap. “Yeah. I, um, I tend to do that occasionally. When I think on something, I can end up forgetting there’s a world around me. Morgan always tells me I’m a hazard to myself and the world when I get stuck in my thoughts.”

“How do y’ t’ink y’r _amis_ are gonna feel about all dis?”

That question surprised Spencer. It wasn’t the direction he’d thought Remy would take that comment. Settling back in his seat, Spencer grew thoughtful for a moment. “I think their reactions will vary.” He finally said. “Hotch will probably ask me if I’m sure. When I tell him I am, he’ll be supportive, but he’ll watch for a while just to make sure. Dave’s probably going to make some joke about the hastiness of youth or about his previous marriages. Emily’s going to be stunned; I can see her stepping aside with me and asking questions just to make sure that this is what I want. JJ’s going to be in shock at first. Then she’ll probably invite us over for dinner.” That made him smile a little. “Garcia’s going to squeal. I just know she’s going to squeal and say all sorts of embarrassing things that involve forms of cuteness and a whole new volley of nicknames designed to make me blush.” Hell, he was blushing now just thinking about it! “Morgan, I’m not sure. Knowing him, he’s going to assume this is a trick somehow.” Grimacing, Spencer looked back towards Remy in an apologetic way. “There’s a chance he’ll make the assumption that I’ve been tricked into this. Out of everyone, Morgan seems to feel the strongest need to act as my protector, for some strange reason. He’ll most likely take it upon himself to come and meet you and he’ll profile you shamelessly. I’m sorry about that, in advance.”

Remy’s smile was probably meant to be reassuring, but it held just a hint of nerves at the edges of it. “I’m sure I’ll survive. Do you t’ink…will dey have a problem with me? With, well…” One hand lifted, gesturing toward the eyes that were hidden by his sunglasses.

Realization dawned on Spencer and he mentally cursed himself for not thinking of that before. Of course Remy would be worried about their reactions towards not just him as a person, but him as a mutant. He’d admitted during one of their nightly conversations that many people had been terrified by his eyes in his life. _Le Diable Blanc_ ; The White Devil. Growing up being called that, being told that he had demon eyes, had definitely left its scars. Spencer turned fully in his seat, not thinking about it before he reached out to cover Remy’s hand with his. He lowered his voice, mindful of the other passengers on the plane. “Not a single member of the team is prejudiced, Remy. On that I can honestly assure you that you have no worries whatsoever. That is something that might throw them at first, maybe make them do a double take, but it is not going to bother them and they’re not going to judge you for that. Your eyes are far more striking than you realize, Remy. They don’t detract from your face as you seem to think. I personally think they’re one of your best features.”

There was a very light flush on Remy’s cheeks. “ _Vraiment_?” At Spencer's blank look, he translated. “Really?”

Spencer gave him back an equally shy smile. “Really.”

The two stared at one another for a long moment before a voice came over the intercom, alerting them to buckle their seatbelts, they would be landing soon. The two broke their gazes to turn and hook their seatbelts on, also taking that moment to gather their composure. When they were settled down in their seats and buckled in once more, Remy surprised Spencer by reaching over and taking his hand. It drew his attention back toward the man. “Y’ know, when y’ take y’r contacts out, I t’ink y’r eyes are one of y’r best features too, cher. I like de color and de sparks in dem.” Remy murmured to him. Then he looked forward again and Spencer was left sitting there, a silly little smile on his face. He turned his head to look out the window, watching as DC slowly came into view, holding his husband’s hand as their plane brought them home.

CXCX

By the time they were inside his apartment building and heading up the stairs, Spencer was seriously contemplating one of the prescription ibuprofen he knew was in his apartment. All of the walking he’d been doing, combined with the dancing last night and then the cramped plane ride and cab ride today, were all combining to leave his knee feeling sore and a little swollen. He tried to hide it as he carefully made his way up the stairs. However, he didn’t do a very good job. Remy suddenly moved a little closer, his arm sliding around Spencer's waist in a move that startled the young doctor. “Lean on me a lil, cher. Why didn’t y’ remind me last night about y’r knee? I f’got y’ said y’ just got off a cane.”

“I’m fine. Just a little stiff, that’s all.” Spencer insisted. Still, he allowed himself to lift his hand, bracing it on Remy’s shoulder. It made the last stretch of stairs just a little easier. When they reached the top, Remy didn’t let go, keeping his arm around him as they made their way down the hall and to Spencer's door. The touch had Spencer feeling just a little flustered, but in a good sort of way. He didn’t mind it, really. It was, nice.

Spencer pulled his keys out, his nerves abruptly coming back as he unlocked his door. Those nerves had him going a little quiet while he opened the door and started inside. Remy followed in, letting go of him to shut the door and set his bag down. Spencer turned lights on as he moved into the living room, setting his bag by the couch and pushing his hands into his pockets. “Well.” He said a little awkwardly. “This is it.” Biting on his lip, he watched as Remy looked around, eyes traveling over the bookshelves packed with books, the books piled on the floor, on the coffee table—heck, they were everywhere. There wasn’t a lot of furniture here, just the basic things he needed. Most of his stuff he’d bought second hand and had refurbished himself, a skill he’d learned when he was younger. His mom had loved to take old things from yard sales and refurbish them. “Like I told you, it’s not much, but I’ve never really worried about it that much.”

It didn’t surprise him to see Remy’s eyes settle on a painting hanging on the wall, one of the few things he had hung up. It was a beautiful painting of a river, surrounded on both sides by mountains and trees. Seeing Remy so absorbed in it, Spencer walked over to stand beside him and look up at it. “It’s a scene from a place in Washington, on the Columbia river.”

“ _Bon Dieu_ , it’s a beautiful painting. Where did y’ get dis, Spencer?”

There was a sort of awe in Remy’s voice that made Spencer want to chuckle. He’d figured that someone who had a Masters in Fine Arts and Art History would appreciate a beautiful painting like this. He looked up at it and a smile curved his lips. “There’s this little shop downtown I stumbled across one time. They had the most beautiful paintings and I had to buy this one the instant I saw it. When I asked who painted it, they told me there was a street artist they’d come across that painted it. They said they bought from him all the time to sell in the store. I found out where he usually painted at and I hunted him down to see what else he had. I’ve another of his in my bedroom, a cityscape of Vegas that he did for me. I’ll take you to the shop if you’d like.”

“De _homme_ has talent, dat’s f’sure.” The sound Remy made was soft, almost wistful. “I used to paint. _Mais_ it’s been so long since I’ve picked up a brush or since I’ve sketched.”

There was a faint hint of longing to those words that Spencer could feel. “We can pick up some supplies when we go out.” He offered hesitantly.

Remy finally broke away from the painting and he turned toward Spencer. “Maybe, cher. Maybe.” Then his eyes turned to travel over the apartment once more. “Y’r place practically screams y’, _mon mari_. It suits y’. I like it.”

Blushing, Spencer turned away, picking his bag up off the couch. “Come on, I’ll show you where you can put your things.”

Instantly Remy was picking up his own bag and following after him. “ _Bon._ Den we can get y’ off y’r feet and get y’r knee elevated. I’ll make y’ a hot wrap like m’ Tante Mattie would make fo’ me and we’ll get dat stiffness outta dere.”

Spencer took him down the hall to where the only bedroom was, opening the door and flipping the light on before moving inside. He took his bag over to set it down by the closet where he would empty it later and get things ready for the wash. “This, ah, this is the bedroom. You can just put your stuff anywhere you’d like in here.” He stammered out nervously. “The, the bathroom’s right outside the door, right over there. And I’ve got plenty of space here in the closet if you need.”  He turned toward the closet, opening the door as if to demonstrate, his stomach jumping a little with his nerves the longer that went by without Remy saying something.

He bit his lip again and turned to look back over, making himself face the other man. What he found wasn’t what he expected. Remy was standing right by his bed, a picture frame in his hands. It took Spencer a second to place what picture it was he was looking at. Then the nerves came back tenfold. It was the picture of him, Scott and Alex, taken one afternoon by Logan. Spencer hadn’t wanted to be in a picture at all, but they’d given him no choice. Alex had sat on the couch and then he’d grabbed Spencer, yanking him down so that he spilled onto the couch beside his brother, his legs actually over Alex’s lap. Then Scott had bent over the back of the couch and he and Alex had tickled Spencer until he was red in the face and laughing. Logan had called their names and the three had looked up, grinning widely, right as Logan snapped the picture. It was one of Spencer's absolute favorite pictures ever.

The way that Remy was looking at it, pain and fear the prominent emotions on his face, was enough to have Spencer's stomach clenching tight. “Remy?”

“Dey’re y’r _frères_ , aren’t dey? Dey’re de _frères_ y’ told me about.” There was an aching note in his voice.

Spencer could barely move. Something was happening, something about this was huge, and he found he was frozen in place. “Yes.” It was all he could make himself say.

He watched as Remy’s head bowed a little and the man took a ragged breath. His hand clenched over the photo for a second before he very carefully set the photo back on the dresser. “We need to talk, Spencer.” Something about him changed in that moment. He went…cold. “Dere are t’ings I need to tell y’. _S’il tu plait_ , come sit. Dis is gonna take a bit.”

Somehow Spencer made himself move. He couldn’t seem to find any more words to say; they’d dried up in his throat. He wanted to ask what was going on. He wanted to demand that Remy explain right now what this was. Because Spencer could feel this was extremely important. This was going to be the first big test in their marriage and he had no idea how it was going to go or what it even was. All he could do was sit down on the edge of his bed and watch and wait, his stomach clenched tight, bracing for whatever was to come.

Remy didn’t sit with him. He stood just a little bit away, his hands stuffed in his pockets and his shoulders hunched. “I don’t know how to do dis.” He admitted quietly. “Dis was something I was planning on telling y’; I was. I already told y’ a lil bit. I told y’ when we was talking de one night about how I’d made a mistake and I’d had to pay fo’ it.” A small shudder ran down Remy’s body and one of his hands came up to run over his hair. “I’m gonna be blunt with y’, Spencer. It’s de only way I know how to do dis. I know y’r _frères_. I know dem cause I was part of de X-Men. Or, I thought I was.”

He’d been part of the X-Men? But…what? Spencer's brain hurried over what he knew of the X-Men that he’d heard of and only one name came to him that fit what he knew of Remy and what he knew of that name. “You’re Gambit.” He found himself saying.

Remy’s head snapped toward him before the man nodded. “So, y’ know a lil, den.”

“Not much.” Spencer admitted. “To keep them and myself safe, Scotty and I agreed a long time ago that we’d keep our work separate from each other. I know a few people because of their closeness with him, but otherwise we don’t discuss the X-Men. With my job, we figured the less I know about them and their actions, the better. Plausible deniability, you see.”

Remy nodded at him. “Makes sense. I’ll try to explain dis as best I can, den. When I’m done, y’ can pass judgment. I only ask dat y’ let me finish first.”

And so, for the next hour, Remy talked. He was brutally honest, laying everything right out there in the open. He started further back than Spencer had expected, all the way back at his marriage to Bella Donna, which surprised Spencer but he just sat and listened. Listened as Remy described the duel he’d had to take, on his honor, and the resulting banishment from New Orleans. He spoke of his powers going out of control and the help he got from Mister Sinister to control his powers and the price it had cost him. In a voice that went flat, devoid of emotion, he spoke of assembling the Marauders and of taking them out on what should have only been a fact finding mission, his final mission with them, and the massacre it had turned into.

Spencer knew about the Morlock massacre. He knew about what had happened in those tunnels; the horror of it. As he listened to Remy describe how he realized what was happening and how he’d tried to stop the slaughter and finally how he’d rescued the little child, Spencer felt his heart break. As an empath, he knew that it must have been a torture of the worst kind for Remy to be there. Tears filled his eyes in sympathy for the man.

Then Remy spoke of being with the X-Men. Of Rogue and what he’d thought he’d found with her. How it hadn’t been perfect and they’d been off as much as they were on, but he thought that maybe if he just kept trying, maybe he could find something with her. That maybe he’d finally found a home in that mansion with those people that he had come to see like family.

Then came Antarctica.

As Spencer listened to Remy speak of the trial, listened as that coldness in his voice cracked a little and the inner agony showed through, he felt not just heartache for Remy, but fury at the people who had done this. How dare they judge him like this? How dare they participate in some mock trial that was obviously a sham? And how dare the woman who had professed to love him turn and betray him that way! The final straw came when Remy told about the very end. About Rogue dropping him in the snow and telling him that, if he loved her, he would have come clean about his past. That he no longer had a home—not with the X-Men, and not with her—before turning away and leaving him there to die.

“Still don’t rightly know how I survived.” Remy said in a voice gone hoarse. “It all kind of blurs till one day when some stranger picked me up and took me to dey’re camp. Dey got me warm, treated m’ frostbite, and slowly got me healed. Soon as I was healed again, I left. But dere wasn’t nowhere to go. Since den, I just been wandering, trying to find somet’ing, somewhere. Den…den I found y’. And y’ know what happened next. Hell, y’ know more about me now dan anyone. I aint ever been dis open and honest b’fore.”

As Remy’s voice faded, Spencer simply sat there and stared. He couldn’t believe it. He could not believe that anyone could be so…so cruel! How could they have done that to _anyone_? No matter what their crime, no one deserved to be left in the cold that way to die. No one deserved that kind of treatment. Spencer fought to control his anger, to fight down the urge to go to that mansion and let those people know exactly what he thought of them. He pushed that anger down and lifted his eyes toward Remy once more. What he saw wiped the anger away and left heartache in its place.

Remy stood there just a few feet away, arms wrapped tightly around his waist in a clearly defensive posture, his shoulders hunched and his head bowed slightly. His whole body was very obviously prepared for either anger or a blow he was sure was going to come. Spencer could easily see that Remy expected him to react the same as everyone else had. _The poor man_ he thought to himself. _They broke him. After everything he’s told me he went through, trusting them was so hard for him and when the truth finally came out, they turned their backs on him. They just broke him._ In this moment, Remy was completely and utterly vulnerable, not a single shield up in place. He’d exposed himself in such a huge way. Spencer had heard the guilt in Remy’s words as he spoke of the Massacre. He’d seen it on his face and felt it from him. The man still felt responsible.

Something prompted Spencer to rise to his feet. For once, he had no words. There was nothing he could find to say in response to this. So he did something that was so very out of character for him, yet it felt utterly right. He rose and walked toward Remy, aching when he saw the man flinch. Still, Spencer walked right up to him and wrapped his arms around him, pulling Remy in close. He felt Remy jerk at the touch and felt his surprise as Spencer simply held him. The young genius held him close and tight, resting his chin on Remy’s shoulder, wishing he knew some way to take away the pain for him. Slowly, hesitant, Remy’s arms slid from between them and came to wrap around Spencer's waist, the whole time moving as if he were waiting for Spencer to jerk back from him.

Hugs had never been a big part of Spencer's life and he knew his probably felt slightly awkward, but it felt like the right thing to do. He kept holding on as Remy’s arms finally closed around his waist. He held on as the tension slowly drained from Remy until suddenly the man was almost sagging against him, no longer hesitant in his touch but clinging. Then Spencer pulled him in a little closer. “I’m so sorry, Remy.” He whispered to him. “They had no right to do that to you. No right at all.”

“I led de murderers dere, Spencer.” Remy argued in a soft voice. “Dat blood is on m’ hands.”

“You led people on what you thought was a different job entirely. You cannot be held responsible for being manipulated by the monster I know Sinister is.” Sighing, Spencer turned his head a little, pressing his face against the side of Remy’s neck. “And not a one of the X-Men has any room to judge. Everyone has horrors in their pasts. Everyone has done things they aren’t proud of. What makes their sins better than yours? It makes me hurt to think of what you went through.” _And I understand now part of what prompted you to so easily accept this marriage. I understand what you meant now when you said that you’ve only felt cold except with me._

Remy’s arms clutched convulsively around him. “Y’r not like everyone else. Y’ don’t react to t’ings like everyone else does. _Dieu_ , y’r just like Scotty. Y’ never react to t’ings like I t’ink y’r gonna.”

Pulling back a little, Spencer let his arms slip around Remy’s neck instead of his shoulders and he smiled at him. “I’ll take that as a compliment. Scott usually has a very clear head about things.” Something came to Spencer and he stiffened. “Scott…”

“ _Non_.” Remy answered instantly, knowing exactly what he was asking. “Scotty wasn’t dere. He and Wolvie both weren’t dere. I wonder what dey told dem when dey got back…” He paused, giving a small shiver. “T’ings might not go over well when y’ tell dem about us. Are y’ ready fo’ dat?”

Spencer moved one of his hands, taking Remy’s sunglasses and pulling them off so that he could see the man’s eyes. His answer was confident when he said “I am.” It was true, too. He would have no problem dealing with anyone from the mansion and what they might think about his marriage to Remy. But looking into Remy’s eyes, he could see something there that prompted him to say “But you’re not.” At Remy’s protest, Spencer shook his head. “No, Remy. I can see it on your face. The X-Men hurt you, badly, and you’re not ready to see them yet. Not even Scott. There is nothing to be ashamed of in that. What they did to you was wrong and horrible and it hurt. You have a right to hurt and you have a right to want time to heal before you see them.”

Remy didn’t bother denying what Spencer said. “I’ll handle it.”

Smiling, Spencer shook his head. “You don’t have to, not yet, because we’re not going to tell them right now. Not because I’m ashamed of you, because I’m not.” Spencer said that last part when he felt the worry from Remy. “I am absolutely not ashamed of you. But I know them. I tell them and they’re going to be here and be in our faces and that is the last thing we need. So this is what we’re going to do. I’ve got another week left in my time off and we’re going to use that to find ourselves a new place, a place big enough for the both of us, and we’re going to get all moved in. We’re going to start ourselves on this path and we’re going to take some time to get to know one another. And when the both of us are ready, we’ll tell them, and not a moment before. Okay?”

For a long moment Remy stood there, staring at him. Spencer watched as a little of the pain in his eyes faded away and as a slightly hesitant yet honest smile tugged at Remy’s lips. “ _D’accord, mon mari_.”

“Good.” With one last smile, Spencer detangled himself from Remy’s arms, walking over to the dresser to set the pair of sunglasses there. “Now, I’m going to get my contacts out and clean up just a little bit. If you want, the small drawer by the fridge holds a bunch of take out papers. You can pick one and we’ll order us something for dinner.”

He started to make his way toward the door, intent on going to the bathroom, when something stopped him. Hand on the door frame, Spencer bit his lip for a moment and debated before finally turning around. He found Remy still standing in the same place, watching him with curious eyes. Spencer made himself swallow and look the man in the eye. “We all have secrets in our past, Remy. Things we’re not proud of. I’m not perfect either. Over dinner, I’ll tell you a story about a man named Tobias Hankel, a story not even Scotty knows. I’ll tell you why you won’t ever find a single narcotic in my home.”

Something on his face must have told Remy that he was serious about this. The man didn’t tell him he didn’t have to say this, or argue. He simply nodded and said “ _D’accord_.”

Nodding, Spencer turned once more and made his way to the bathroom.


	4. Chapter 4

Spencer woke up feeling very warm. He was lying on his back and his body was pressed down into the bed, pinned by a warm weight that at first startled him. Only when he opened his eyes and blinked a few times did he finally realize what it was he was feeling. Then, to his surprise, he felt himself smile a little. Looking down, he saw auburn hair spilled over his chest, the first thing that came into view. The blankets blocked the rest of the view, but he could _feel_ what was there.

Last night, though they were getting more comfortable with one another, he and Remy both had been a little uncomfortable when it had come time for bed. They’d had no idea what to do with one another. In the end, both had dressed down to a pair of pajama pants and t-shirts and they’d climbed into bed, curling up pretty much as far as they could from one another. It would appear that some time in the night their bodies had decided something else entirely. From the look and feel of things, Remy was draped over his chest, his ear pressed to Spencer's heart, one arm flung over him and one leg resting between his. Spencer's arm was around him as well, his hand curled to Remy’s hip. _Well, we know the man is definitely a cuddler_ he thought with a mental chuckle. It actually wasn’t surprising. One thing he’d learned since meeting him was that Remy was a very physically demonstrative person. Touch seemed to be very important for him. He constantly touched as he talked; an arm, a leg, a hand. It seemed to happen without thought, even.

Spencer knew that plenty of people thought that he didn’t like touch. He could see how they’d come to that conclusion, too, and he knew it was of his own making. Very rarely did he touch or allow someone to touch him. But it wasn’t because he didn’t want to. It was just that too many times he had been hurt by people touching him. Plus, when his powers had manifested, touch had been difficult for a while. The only people he’d been able to touch were Scott and Alex and that was because they weren’t affected directly by his powers. Early on, he’d had a hard time keeping the electricity off his skin and he’d accidentally jolted quite a few people, but not Scott or Alex. Then there was the empathy that, for him, was so much stronger with skin to skin contact. That was the only part of his powers that worked on his brothers—his empathy. He could read them and project to them. Safe and secure with their emotions around him, he’d used them as practice to be able to learn how to shield. Still, it had taken him a while, and until he’d learned control, he hadn’t touched anyone but them. When others touched him, he would fight so hard not to jolt them that he couldn’t shield his empathy as well and then he’d been forced to feel the anger from the bullies that sought to torment him.

All of that had combined with other things in his life to make him a person who usually shied away from touch, or flinched back from it. Since joining the Bureau, he’d gotten better. His friends helped him get a little desensitized to casual hands on the back or maybe a random hug, because they seemed to understand that, underneath the nervous and scared exterior, Spencer practically craved positive touches. Scott said it was the empath in him that needed positive touching like some people needed air. He needed that contact, that quick burst of goodwill, to keep him going, otherwise he would start to pine away. It looked like Remy was the same way. After everything the man had said, was it any wonder he was seeking out all this positive touching now? He’d been denied since the events in Antarctica. Hell, from the sounds of it, he’d been denied a lot longer than that.

This was definitely something Spencer could get used to. He was warm, comfortable, surrounded by a warm body, that nice fuzzy sleepy feeling in him and coming from Remy as well. He slid his hand up from Remy’s hip, letting it go to the Cajun’s hair, indulging in something he’d wanted to do practically since he’d met him. He ran his finger through those silky tresses, enjoying the feel of it against his fingers. As he indulged in playing with Remy’s hair, he let his thoughts drift over last night’s events. Not only Remy’s confessions, but his own as well. It had been difficult for him, yet in the face of Remy’s confession, how could he not reciprocate in some way?

He’d told Remy all about the case in Georgia; about being kidnapped by Tobias Hankel and being held for two days as he was drugged, beaten, and forced to choose who would live and who would die. Remy had sat there and held Spencer's hand as the young doctor had described how Tobias had suffered from split personalities, how Tobias himself wasn’t a bad person. How the personality Raphael had been murdering sinners and how he’d streamed video of Spencer's torture to his team. He talked about the seizure he’d suffered and his subsequent death in that little shack before being brought back to life when Tobias gave him CPR. How, at the very end, he’d had to kill Tobias to get free. And how he’d taken vials of Dilaudid from a dead man’s pocket. Outside of a meeting, it was the first time he’d been so candid about his addiction. It had been a good thing, he knew. If they were going to be serious about this marriage, things like this needed to be shared. His husband would need to know why he refused narcotics and why he occasionally had to go to meetings. He would need to know why sometimes Spencer would struggle with that monster inside of himself that wanted that fix. Or why sometimes the smell of fish could drag him back to images of that shack and the scent of fish hearts and livers being burned to keep away the devil.

Still, he was amazed at himself for having told him. _Since when did I become so open?_ Usually he was the type of person to keep his secrets close to his heart, especially the painful ones. He dealt with things on his own and though he trusted people, he still had a hard time opening up about himself. The only person he’d ever been so open with was Scott and even then there were things he didn’t tell his brother. Scott didn’t know about the Dilaudid. What was it about Remy that made him open up so easily?

Maybe it had something to do with how he’d felt when he’d arrived in Vegas. Inside, he’d been so raw from everything that had happened, from living with Aaron’s grief inside of him all the time, that he’d been aching for something to fill that hole in him. Or maybe it was just something about Remy himself. He was so easy to talk to. Half the time Spencer didn’t plan on saying half the things he did. They just sort of, came out.

Spencer suddenly became aware that Remy was shifting against him, his head arching up into the hand that was still stroking at his hair. He had to smother a chuckle when he realized Remy was making a soft sound against him that took just a second for Spencer to place; the man was _purring_. There was no other word to describe the sound that he was making. It was very distinctly a purr! In the back of his mind he couldn’t help wondering what other ways he could bring out that little purr.

“Y’r t’inking too loud.” Remy mumbled against Spencer's shirt. The sound was slightly muffled and his accent was a little thicker than normal so it took Spencer a second to understand what he’d said. When he did, he chuckled. “I thought you were an empath, not a telepath.”

Remy tipped his head up just enough that he could scowl at Spencer for a moment. “Don’t even joke like dat. _Merde_ , telepat’s give me de creeps.” Tipping his head back down, he burrowed in a little more, readjusting his position.

“Honestly, they do me too.”

“Why’re y’ up t’inking? ‘S warm in here, cher. Time fo’ sleeping.”

Humor lit Spencer's face and his chest vibrated under Remy with his chuckle. “Actually, it’s eight oh seven. Usually, I’m already awake by now.”

“Eight? In de morning?” There was obvious disgust in Remy’s voice. “What de hell y’ doing awake dis early? No wonder Remy’s still tired. _Merde_ , go back to sleep, Spencer.”

Well, there was something new he was learning about the man. Remy was most definitely not a morning person. “You can stay here and sleep a little more if you want.” The thought of coffee appealed to Spencer, as did the idea of a shower. He tried to shift to start to sit up, amusement filling him when Remy grumbled as he slid off of Spencer. No sooner was Spencer up than Remy was curling up in the warm spot he left behind, blankets pulling up over his head. No, most definitely not a morning person. With a light laugh, Spencer went to the dresser and grabbed clean clothes, taking them out with him and shutting the door behind him. He set them in the bathroom before heading to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee, the most essential thing first thing in the morning. As soon as it started brewing, he went back down the hall to take his shower.

CXCX

One hour later Spencer was curled up in a chair at the kitchen table, his laptop on the table in front of him, a cup of coffee cradled in his hands, when Remy finally emerged from the bedroom. Glancing up, Spencer smothered a grin behind his coffee cup. Remy was still in his plaid pajama pants and an oversized Las Vegas t-shirt, his feet bare and his hair mussed. His eyes were mostly shut and his expression clearly said he wasn’t awake. He walked right past Spencer and straight into the kitchen. He stood there for a moment, looking around in confusion. Spencer tipped his head a little so he could discreetly watch, curious to see what Remy would do.

After a bit of just standing there, Remy moved to one side, opening the cupboards. Apparently he didn’t find what he was looking for, because he moved on to the next one. Then the next. Spencer took another sip off his coffee, keeping the chuckles in but not managing to hide his smile all the way. He had a feeling he knew what Remy was doing; the same thing he’d be doing if their roles were reversed. Taking pity on the man, he called out “If you’re looking for cups, they’re on the cup tree beside the coffee pot on the counter directly behind you.”

Immediately Remy turned around and moved right to the coffee pot. He said not a word as he poured himself a cup and added sugar without cream before leaning against the counter to take the first sip. Amused, Spencer turned his attention back to the laptop while Remy made his way over to the table and took a seat near him. For a few moments the two of them sat in silence. Remy was the one to break the silence. “Watching somet’ing interesting dere?” He gestured with his cup toward the laptop.

Spencer looked up at him and shrugged. “Just checking my work email to see if there’s anything important there. And I’ve got a few other things up that I’m looking at.”

A little furrow appeared in Remy’s forehead. “Y’ aint touched de computer, though.”

This time Spencer let his chuckle slip out. “The main part of my mutation involves the manipulation of electricity, Remy. Remember? I don’t have to touch the computer to do anything. It’s simplistic to manipulate the electricity and essentially turn my mind into a mouse for the computer.”

“Huh.” Remy looked at him a minute before finally nodding and lifting his cup once more, elbows resting on the table. “Pretty handy.”

Spencer finished reading his last email before closing that screen out. He was sorting through the other screens when Remy spoke up once more. “So, y’ got a few places fo’ us to look at today?”

Surprise had Spencer looking up. “How did you…”

This time it was Remy’s turn to look amused. “If dere’s one t’ing I learned about y’ so far it’s dat y’r an organized soul, cher, and dat when y’ say somet’ing, y’ mean it. Y’ said we was gonna take dis week to look at places, so I figured dat’s what y’r prolly doing on de computer dere. Am I right?”

“That was two things.” Spencer corrected without thinking. “And you were right.”

“Two t’ings? _Quoi_?”

“You said one thing you’ve learned about me and then listed my organized soul and that I mean what I say. Those are two things, not one.”

He wasn’t quite sure because Remy had his cup up, but it looked like the man was grinning into his coffee. However, his tone was normal and his face clear when he lowered the cup down to say “Y’r right, cher. So, did y’ find some places fo’ us?”

Spencer watched him for a second, not quite sure if he was being laughed at or not. Then he shrugged it off. “Potentially. I was looking at what kinds of places were available but I didn’t want to seriously think about anything until I found out what kind of place you’re interested in. There are apartments, condos, townhomes, single family homes, all different varieties. I was unsure what you felt, so I was just perusing a few of them.”

“I’m pretty open to suggestions. I got a condo in New York dat’s pretty cozy, but a condo don’t never feel like home, y’ know?” Shrugging, Remy took another drink, making a face at his cup. “ _Mais_ , we gotta pass by de store, too. Y’ need de fixin’s fo’ proper coffee. Remy’ll teach y’ how to make it proper, with chicory and everything.”

“That’s fine. Will makes his coffee that way and I’ve always enjoyed it.” Spencer said absently. “You know, I was thinking that I don’t know if I want a regular apartment again. It can be difficult sometimes to deal with questions about Alex or Scott sometimes if someone sees them in their getup. Not to mention, I can’t leave the apartment without putting in my contacts or a pair of sunglasses. It’d be nice to be able to completely relax and be myself at my own home.” He adjusted his search requirements on the site he was using, taking off apartments and condos, leaving townhomes and single family homes.

Remy nodded agreeably. “I’m used to wearing de sunglasses not just fo’ m’ eyes, but fo’ de light too. But it’s nice to be able to take dem off and not worry. So, you t’inking about a house, den? Dat…it’s a big commitment, Spencer. What if…well…”

It wasn’t hard to see where he was going with that. “First of all, I’m thinking positively for once in my life.” Spencer told him in a firm voice. “Second of all, real estate is always a sound investment if one shops carefully. If, and I am not saying that I believe this will happen, but if things do not work out between us, either one of us could keep the house or sell it, whichever. But I am not going to think in those kinds of terms.”

“ _D’accord_.” Something crossed over Remy’s face and he looked up at Spencer once more. “Who’s Will?”

What? Spencer stared at him with confusion before it connected in his head. He’d mentioned Will when talking about the coffee. “Oh! Will is JJ’s partner; Henry’s father. He was a cop in New Orleans and JJ met him while on a case down there. Will LaMontagne Jr.”

A startled look passed over Remy’s face before he shook his head and muttered something under his breath in Cajun. He looked back up when he felt Spencer's curiosity and there was a wry sort of look on his face. “It’s a small world. I knew his Papa, me. Was sorry when I heard dat he passed. He was one of de few good cops round dose parts.” He gave another shake of his head and his expression cleared. “But dat was another lifetime ago. So, y’ want to look at houses, do y’? Need to have an office fo’ y’ to put y’r work in when y’ need.”

“And to put my books so they don’t overrun the whole house.” Spencer looked at the stack of books on the table, smiling a little when Remy laughed. “ _Oui_ , dat too.” Smirking, Remy rose to his feet, draining the last of his cup. “Why don’t y’ find a few places while I take m’ shower and den we’ll head out, take a look at t’ings, maybe pass by de store. We definitely need to make groceries. Y’ aint got much in de way of food here.”

“I haven’t been home.” Spencer defended himself.

Humor warmed Remy’s face. “ _Je sais_. Was just teasing y’, me.” After taking his cup to the sink and cleaning it, Remy stuck it in the strainer and turned to look at Spencer once more. He watched him for a moment, something obviously on his mind. “Y’ really meant all y’ said, didn’t y’?” Remy finally said.

Spencer set his cup down and turned himself to better look at Remy. “I generally do. Were you referring to something specific, however?”

“About treating dis marriage like it’s real. About building a life with dis ol’ Cajun. About not holding de t’ings I told y’ against me. About…about all of it. Y’ really mean it, don’t y’? Dis aint no game to y’.”

“Of course it’s not a game.” The idea that he would do that would have been offensive if Spencer hadn’t learned last night just how many people had played the man. That knowledge kept his tone serious, wanting Remy to understand how much he meant what he said. “I meant all of it, Remy. Especially after last night, I can honestly say I know more about you than I do some people I’ve known for years. Maybe we haven’t known one another very long, but I don’t believe that matters. We made the agreement to give this marriage our best shot and I intend to do just that. To me, this marriage and the commitments that it entails are just as real as it would be if we had dated for years before taking this step. I won’t treat it or you as anything less than that.”

Remy moved forward with a grace that was enviable. Then he surprised Spencer completely by bending down and cupping his chin before kissing him. It was almost casual, if any kiss could be called that, yet there was emotion in it that went much deeper. Spencer felt the burst of affection, appreciation, and gratitude that Remy sent his way. “Y’r one in a million, Spencer Reid.” Remy murmured when he broke their kiss. “I got lucky de day I walked into dat bar.”

The fingers on his chin were warm and Spencer swore he could still feel that light kiss on his lips, warming him down to his toes. “You are most definitely special as well…Remy Reid.” Saying that had both their lips curving. “I have no idea what sparked me to get so close to a stranger, but I am ever so glad I did.”

Moving his thumb, Remy stroked over Spencer's jawline, bending to take one more kiss. This one was more than a kiss of thanks; this was a sweet kiss. A first kiss, almost. Soft and gentle and full of promise. When they pulled apart, both were smiling. Without another word Remy let go of him and straightened up. Then he headed down the hall toward the bathroom. Spencer turned back toward the computer, but it took him a few minutes before he actually saw what was on the screen instead of a pair of slightly glowing red and black eyes.

CXCX

The look of horror on Remy’s face when he saw Spencer's beat up old car was amusing enough that Spencer didn’t even feel offended by the reaction. When that horror grew at the suggestion that he get inside, Spencer couldn’t help himself. He gave in and leaned against the car to let out a laugh. Remy put his hands on his hips and glared at him. He looked a sight, dressed in yet another pair of jeans, a long sleeved shirt and that ever present trench coat and with indignation packed into every inch of him. His sunglasses were in place but he’d left his hair flowing free. He pushed it back from his face now and kept glaring at Spencer. “Laugh all y’ want, but I aint getting in dat rusted bunch o’ bolts! Y’ can just f’get dat right now, Spencer Reid! _Dieu_ , dat pitiful t’ing can’t even be called a car.”

Impishly, Spencer said “It gets me from point A to point B.”

That earned him an even deeper scowl. “Dere’s more to a car dan just getting around. _Merde_ , how do y’ even fit y’r endless legs into dat t’ing?”

“I manage. Does this mean you want to attempt to walk and take the bus all around today, then?”

For a second he thought Remy was actually going to say yes. He leaned against the hood and watched and waited, fighting the urge to keep laughing. He lost that battle when Remy huffed and marched forward, reaching a hand out to open the passenger’s door. He touched the handle as if touching something diseased and his scowl now had a pout building in its place. Spencer laughed once more and made his way over to the driver’s seat. He climbed inside, settling in behind the wheel and pulling his seatbelt on. Remy was doing the same thing, a look of distaste on his face.

“You know, it’s not a bad car. It runs.” Turning the car on, Spencer laughed when Remy scowled at the sounds the engine made. For quite a while now he’d known that he needed a new car. This car had been the source of quite a bit of teasing from Derek and Emily. Even JJ teased him about it. All of them told him that the car needed a decent burial and he needed to upgrade. Spencer knew it and, though he hadn’t told anyone, he’d already taken care of that. However, he hadn’t been home long enough to make the trade, though all the paperwork was done and was waiting for his final signature. He debated telling Remy about it, that in fact the car lot was their first stop, and then decided against it. This was far too amusing.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw as Remy crossed his arms over his chest and sulked. “Can’t believe y’ got me in dis t’ing. Only fo’ y’, _mon mari_. Only fo’ y’ would dis Cajun be caught dead in somet’ing like dis. Y’ sure it aint gonna fall apart on us?”

“Have a little faith, Remy. Why, this car has at least another five years left in it.”

He looked to make sure it was clear to pull out, allowing him to also see the appalled look Remy gave the car. “Y’r delusional, cher. Y’ get another five months outta de t’ing and I’ll be surprised.”

“I guess you’ll be taking the bus often if you dislike the car that much. I thought you’d use it while I’m gone to go places that you need to go.”

“Psh.” Snorting, Remy cast him a baleful look over the top of his shades. “I’ll go to de car lot and get m’ own car a’fore I’m seen driving dis t’ing around. Y’ got great taste in y’r place, Spencer. But in cars? _Merde_ , y’ best let Remy help y’ out.”

He fought hard not to bust out laughing as he drove down the road. The whole way there, he kept up the conversation, enjoying the banter back and forth. Spencer defended his car, pretending it had more value to him than it did, drawing it out. It was definitely worth it to see the look on Remy’s face as they pulled into the car lot. “What’re we doing here?” Remy said quickly. “Spencer, I wasn’t trying to make y’ feel like y’ gotta go right out and buy a new car.”

Spencer bit his lip and pulled the car into a parking spot in the back. He turned it off and pulled out the keys. “Well, I wouldn’t want to embarrass you, making you ride around in this.” He unbuckled, grabbing his messenger bag and pulling it with him as he climbed out of the car. He was slinging it on when Remy got out, the older man hurrying around to his side, looking slightly worried. “Spencer, really, y’ don’t gotta do dis”

“I know.” Unable to help it, Spencer flashed him a bright smile before taking off toward the entrance of the dealership. Remy quickly caught up with him, just starting to say something right as Spencer opened the door. The man at the desk looked up and when he saw who it was, he lit up. “Dr. Reid! We were told to expect you today!” The man called out as he came around the desk. It was the same man Spencer had dealt with through the whole process; Rick Mavers. “I’ve got the paperwork ready to be signed and then everything is all yours. Is your … _car_ outside?”

Spencer laughed and shook his head at the derision placed on the word ‘car’. “It is.”

“Good, good. If you’ll just step back here, we’ll get this signed and get you your keys.”

As they started to make their way to the office, Remy elbowed him. “Y’ already had all dis done.” He accused him.

“I did. For quite a while now, actually. Before I even went to Vegas.” Spencer agreed. He couldn’t help but laugh and pat Remy’s shoulder. “But it was entertaining to watch you try to convince me to get a new car.”

“Y’ Summers brothers. Y’ got dat sneaky streak, de whole lot of y’.” Still, Remy was chuckling as they stepped into the man’s office. Fifteen minutes later, the two were setting down into Spencer's new silver Kia Optima. Still amused, Spencer looked over at Remy. “Okay, what do you think?”

Remy looked at him and shook his head, a little smirk on his face. “I t’ink y’r sneakier dan y’ look. It’s dat innocent face of y’rs, t’rows a man off so dat he t’inks y’r all sweet and innocent. But y’ve got de devil under dere, don’t y’?”

Laughter bubbled up Spencer's throat. “Just you remember that in the future. I studied under Scott’s tutelage.”

“ _Dieu_. What have I gotten m’self into?”

Spencer turned the car on and winked at him, his good mood practically bubbling out of him. He had no idea what put him in such fine spirits, but he intended to enjoy it. “I guess you’ll just have to wait and see, won’t you?”

Remy laughed and reached over, rubbing at Spencer's leg, leaving his hand resting there. “Sounds like a challenge to me, cher. And dere aint nothing Remy loves more dan a challenge.”

Their laughter filled the car as Spencer pulled out of the parking lot.


	5. Chapter 5

By the end of the day, the backseat of Spencer's new car was full of bags carrying not only items for Remy that Spencer insisted the man get, but items for himself as well as some groceries. While out, they hadn’t just gone shopping but had viewed a few of the places on their list as well—surprisingly, they had two potentials already. Both were small houses, one in the main part of DC and one in Alexandria, both near the bus lines. They had the information on them as well as their web addresses so tonight they could sit and take a better look and see what they thought. They’d told the woman they’d contact her tomorrow; she claimed that they would go fast. Granted, that was all a part of the game, but just in case they would try to get back to her quickly. Spencer had been pleasantly surprised to see that Remy had a sharp mind when it came to these things and he’d asked not only smart questions but he’d been deliberately charming, getting the woman to smile and laugh. Spencer had a feeling that, if they picked one, they’d walk away with a better deal than was listed.

Spencer couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a better time. It had been so much fun to walk through these places with Remy and look at them. Then, when they’d been shopping—something that Spencer typically avoided at all costs—he’d somehow found himself still having a great time. Granted, Remy dragged him all over the place. Boy, when that man wanted to shop, he could _shop_. He could probably put Garcia to shame! But, as Remy had made a point in saying to Spencer, the Cajun had been good all day, not stealing a single thing. In reward, Spencer told him he’d cook dinner for him once they got home.

The good mood of the day stayed with them as they unloaded their things at home and even as Spencer cooked up dinner for them. Remy had teased him mercilessly about being capable of cooking, yet he’d complimented him on the chicken and pasta once it was done. After dinner and once the dishes were done, the two decided to review the information they’d brought back with them. Remy grabbed the papers from their things and smiled at Spencer. “C’mon, cher. Let’s go get comfortable and take a look at t’ings.”

Instead of setting up in the living room or the dining room like he knew Spencer was thinking, Remy took the paperwork down the hall and went to their bedroom. There would be plenty of space on the bed to spread things out and to get comfortable as well. Remy could see the slight limp to Spencer's movements and he wanted to get him sitting down and get that knee elevated. The man had been walking all over the place with him today and not once had Spencer voiced a single complaint. Remy was already coming to learn that Spencer wasn’t the type of person to complain about something. No, he seemed more the type of person to just square his shoulders and quietly keep on moving no matter what was battering at him. Quiet and shy he may have seemed, yet there was a core of strength to him that Remy had sensed from the get go.

He couldn’t quite put into words what it was that had drawn him to talk to Spencer that first night in the bar. It might have had something to do with that quiet grief that had been written in every inch of his body. Whether he’d realized it or not, Spencer had carried the weight of the world on him and it had showed. He’d been slightly bowed down, with lines of stress on his face and just this air of exhaustion to him as if he’d been fighting something for so long he was finally just growing tired from the sheer effort of it. Yet even with all that, he had still had a friendly smile for the bartender, albeit a shy one. There was this kind of sweetness that he exuded that was almost irresistible. And as he’d started to talk to the man, Remy had realized that the sweetness wasn’t a façade either. The man was undeniably sweet and kind and so many other things.

For the first time since he’d been left in the ice, Remy had started to feel warm inside. It felt as if it had been forever since he’d felt any kind of warmth. Yet being with Spencer was like sitting next to a warm fire and Remy found himself wanting to reach out, even if it meant risking getting burned. He had never thought to reach this close, though. Waking up and finding himself with hazy memories of a laughing wedding and a fuzzy image of their wedding night, he’d been in shock. That shock had grown even more when, as they talked about it, he realized that Spencer not only wasn’t mad at him, he wasn’t going to throw him away either. He…he was keeping him.

Thinking of that had Remy smiling as he kicked off his shoes and settled down on the bed— _their_ bed. How the hell had he gotten so lucky? This man who made him feel, who brought to life things in him Remy had sworn had been frozen away, had seemingly accepted their impromptu marriage in a way Remy had not expected. Not just accepted it, but embraced it. Hell, they were shopping for a home together! This, it was crazy. The whole thing was absolutely crazy! It felt perfect. He wasn’t going to claim that he loved Spencer; he didn’t know him well enough for that. Could he grow to love him? Could he ever really open himself up that much ever again? He thought that maybe he could. Maybe, for Spencer, he could. Something told him that, if he ever let himself do it, he might just be accepting the greatest gift ever.

“Now who’s thinking too loudly?” Spencer's impish voice broke into Remy’s thoughts.

Looking up, Remy saw Spencer settling down on the opposite side of the bed, setting the laptop in front of him. There was a twinkle in his eyes that showed his teasing as well as a small amount of concern. Little sparks danced in those eyes, the blues, pinks and purples flashing occasionally with different emotions. It was a sight Remy found he could easily get lost in. He much preferred Spencer's natural eyes to the contacts he wore that turned them that brown color. “ _Désolé, mon mari_. Was just t’inking bout t’ings, dat’s all.”

“What does that mean, _mon mari_?”

With a theatrical wince at Spencer's horrible pronunciation, Remy teased him “Oh, cher, we gotta work on y’r accent. It’s _mon mari_. Means m’ husband. I knew a couple people back home dat called deir husbands dat way. Just seemed, natural. Do…y’ don’t mind, do y’?” It was slightly galling, how worried Remy found himself about doing things wrong with Spencer. Since when had he been so insecure? Once upon a time, Remy had been confident in himself. Confident in his charms and his effect on people. In fact, most would’ve said he was _over_ confident, even if they didn’t realize how much of that confidence was an act. Now? He worried about saying or doing something wrong with Spencer and messing everything up. He didn’t want to mess this up.

Spencer's smile was just a bit shy around the edges and a cute little flush built in his cheeks. His eyes darted down toward his hand, which was fiddling with the blanket. “No, I don’t mind. It sounds nice.”

The littlest things made Spencer happy. The man was practically affection-starved. He soaked up the compliments and flirtations and the little touches Remy did. _Merde, what a pair we are._ Shaking that thought out of his head, Remy turned his attention back to what they’d come in here for. Melancholy thoughts wouldn’t get him anywhere. All he could do was focus on the here and now. That in mind, he pulled out one of the papers. “So, let’s start with dis one…”

For the next hour the two debated the two places they’d found, putting in their opinions on what they liked and what they didn’t, comparing them against each other. Remy couldn’t believe how much of it they actually agreed on. Spencer was pretty open to certain things that Remy suggested and he encouraged the older man to voice his opinion. When they looked at the second home and reviewed the photos online, Spencer surprised Remy by pointing out that, though the house was technically a single story, it had a large, spacious attic, saying “If you really do decide to paint again, it would make the perfect studio. There’s lots of windows and natural light up there. And I’m sure we could talk to Morgan about putting in a skylight if you needed, to bring in more outside light.”

The fact that Spencer remembered the little offhand comment that he’d made about painting was touching. It had been so long since Remy had really picked up a paintbrush and let himself paint, or even since he’d sat with a sketch pad and drawn. Would he still be able to? Once, it had been a private passion of his, something he had loved but had never done anything with. There had been too much else going on in his life. Why not try it now, though? He would have free time while Spencer was working that he still didn’t know how he was going to fill. Why not take up a paintbrush once more and see what he could do? Maybe he could actually end up selling something. _Jumping ahead of y’rself dere, aint y’? Y’ don’t even know if y’ can still paint!_

Eventually the two started yawning. Spencer was the one to finally suggest they put things up. While he gathered things together, Remy went to the restroom and took care of his nightly rituals and changing into his pajamas. At one point in time he wouldn’t have worn them, or he would have climbed in bed in just boxers. Now, he was too cold to sleep any other way. Even with these on he generally shivered under the covers. Except for this morning; he’d woken up so warm pressed against Spencer. That thought teased in his mind once he was lying in bed, watching in the semi darkened room—after last night, Remy had learned Spencer didn’t handle the dark well—as Spencer climbed in under the blankets, just as awkward as he’d been last night. They lay there in the dark on opposite sides of the bed and Remy fought the urge to just roll over and snuggle right up.

After laying there for a while, Spencer's voice came in the darkness, surprising Remy. “You know…” Pausing, Spencer cleared his throat and tried again. “You don’t have to lie so far away. I, I don’t mind if you like to, to snuggle up, you know.”

It was easy to hear how hard that had been for the shy man to get out. Still, that was all the encouragement that Remy needed. Smiling, he immediately scooted right over to Spencer, curling up against his side. Spencer's arm came around him, holding him close, his hand curling over Remy’s hipbone. The two ended up in almost the same position they’d woken up in that morning. Much more comfortable and definitely much warmer, Remy sighed and let his eyes close. For the first night in a while, he fell asleep feeling warm and safe.

CXCX

The next few days seemed to almost fly by for the newly married couple. They’d spoken with the realtor that next day, their decision made, and by that night they were signing paperwork. They knew that they were moving fast but neither one of them cared. They were wrapped up in what they were doing and were surprisingly enjoying every minute of it. For once, neither one of them were thinking about the consequences to anyone other than themselves. When they signed the paperwork and took care of the finances—by mutual agreement, they’d gone fifty-fifty on everything—and were given a set of keys, they’d instantly gone out to dinner to celebrate.

Then had come everything that needed to be taken care of with moving. They had to get the power and water turned on at the new place and they had to go over there so they could plan things out. It was almost surreal, looking at this quaint little brick house and realizing that it was theirs. Theirs. It wasn’t a big house or anything really fancy, either. There were quite a few people who would’ve been shocked to see Remy in a house this, quaint. It was technically a two story house, but the second story was only the attic. On the ground floor there were two bedrooms, one for them and one they decided to use as a guest room, and an office for Spencer and for his books. Remy told him he could find him some nice tall bookshelves to put in there so he could organize it all. The property was fully fenced in as well, another plus in their eyes, with a tall enough fence and shrubs around the backyard to make it almost completely private. That had been a big motivator for them. They would be a little more free to be themselves, as would any guests they had in the future that might be considered a little…different.

The two gathered boxes and started on packing up Spencer's apartment. At the same time, Spencer took advantage of the time to get rid of some things he didn’t want to keep around anymore. Some of it was taken down to the local shelter and some was taken to the Salvation Army.

With three days left until Spencer had to go back to work and the apartment fully packed up, they knew they needed to start getting things moved over. So that night while lying in bed, cuddled together as they had taken to doing each night, the two discussed what they were going to do. This time Remy was on his back, with Spencer's head pillowed on his shoulder. The young genius was quite content where he was, feeling Remy’s hand in his hair. Lying like this had lost that awkward edge to it and was gradually becoming almost natural. Comfortable, he felt relaxed enough to broach an idea, the only one he had to really get them moved. “You know, I’m sure if I called the team, they’d help us move. Between us, we’d have enough cars and I know Morgan has a truck he could bring for the furniture.”

He felt Remy’s hand still for a second before it resumed its stroking. “Dat would make it a lil easier. Get it done faster, too.”

Feeling the older man’s tension, Spencer closed his eyes and turned his face in a little, trying to reassure him through touch. He was leaning it was one of the easiest ways to reassure Remy. Though he needed words, needed to hear the intention sometimes, actions held more impact with him. Words could be just that; words. Actions, they proved what you meant. So Spencer nuzzled his face in a little and coupled the reassuring action with words. “It’ll be fine. They’re my friends, Remy. They want what makes me happy.”

“And Remy makes y’ happy?”

There was a teasing note to the question, but the third-person use gave away his nerves. Spencer smiled against Remy’s shirt, knowing he would feel it. “Yes.” He said. A pleased little hum vibrated Remy’s chest and made Spencer's smile grow. Shifting, Spencer peeked up toward the clock, seeing it was only eight. “I might as well call them before it gets much later. Think you can be awake and ready to start moving by ten?” The last was asked teasingly. Remy had proved Spencer's observations right—he definitely wasn’t a morning person. If possible, he slept in till no later than nine, though he said he used to spend half the night out and then sleep till noon back in the day. Spencer liked to tease him about it. In turn, Remy teased him about getting up too early. Both of them couldn’t really function without coffee, though. Remy was just as addicted to it as he was.

The hand in his hair gave a soft tug. “Be nice. I’ll be up. Why wouldn’t I be? Look at me. Got m’ ass in bed and it’s only eight at night. People would laugh if dey knew dis Cajun was in bed b’fore midnight.” He gave Spencer a quick squeeze, though. “At least I got a good reason to be in bed. Y’r motivation enough fo’ dat.”

Blush heated Spencer's cheeks. The two flirted often; Remy seemed to do it sort of naturally. However, they hadn’t stepped it up beyond a few kisses and their nightly cuddling. Spencer wasn’t brave enough to try and take that step and he didn’t know if it was something Remy was really ready for or what. Considering Spencer had wanted to be with the man back before they’d gotten married, it made sense that he still wanted him now. He just didn’t know how to go about suggesting they try. And oh, he was nervous about it. Nervous about not being…enough. Good enough. Attractive enough. Just…enough.

To distract himself from those thoughts, and hoping Remy hadn’t picked up on that change in emotions, Spencer shifted and made himself sit up so he could roll to his side of the bed and pick up his cell off the nightstand. As he dialed, he heard a little chuckle from behind him and his blush deepened. The huskiness to that chuckle and the feelings in the air told Spencer that Remy _had_ noticed his change in emotions. Damn.

After dialing Derek’s number, Spencer put the phone up to his ear, purposely staying faced away from Remy. It only took a few rings before Derek answered the phone. “Bout time I heard from you, kid! I was beginning to think you dropped off the face of the earth.”

What else could he do but roll his eyes and chuckle? That greeting was pure Derek. “Hello to you too, Morgan.”

“How are ya, man? How was Vegas and your Mom? Tell me everything. You meet up with any honeys while you were there? Get banned from another casino?”

Spencer laughed at the onslaught of questions. “I had a good time. Mom’s doing…she’s as well as can be expected. She had her good days and her bad days. No, I was not banned from any more casinos. I didn’t go and gamble while I was there. When you’re a native, the casinos can lose their appeal after a while. I’ve been in them all.”

“And the honeys? I notice you didn’t answer that one.” Derek’s grin was obvious in his voice. “Spill the beans there, pretty boy. You get some Vegas lovin?”

If only the man knew how close to the truth he was. Spencer tried to sidestep that question, not wanting to lie but not wanting to get into this on the phone. “You know, I actually had a purpose for this call and amazingly enough it wasn’t for a friendly interrogation. If I remember schedules right, the team has a three day weekend that starts tomorrow before we’re all back on Monday, correct?”

“Yep. And don’t think I’m letting this convo slide, Reid. I’ll pin you down later if I have to.”

Spencer ignored that comment and stuck to the topic at hand. “I was hoping I might be able to get everyone to give me a hand tomorrow. You see, I found myself a new place…”

“Finally!” Derek interrupted.

“…and my apartment is all packed up and ready to go, I just need people and vehicles to help me move everything over.”

“I don’t have anything planned, so I’m all yours, kid. If you want, I can call around and ask the others. Garcia was gonna come over and hang out tomorrow so I’m sure she’ll come with. I can ring everyone else and see what they say.” Derek knew Spencer wasn’t a big fan of phone calls, or of asking favors, really. That offer to make the calls for him stemmed from that knowledge and was one of the things that Spencer enjoyed about having Derek as a friend. The man understood him and, though he may pick on him, he didn’t judge him for his quirks. They were just a part of Spencer to him.

Smiling, Spencer relaxed a little. “I’d like that. And, um…” Better to give them a heads up about this. Maybe it would make it go a little better. “There is, um, someone I’d like all of you to meet as well. Someone important. So be nice, okay?” A hand settled on Spencer's shoulder, rubbing soothingly, and he felt the bed dip a little as Remy shifted to sit behind him.

The other end of the line went quiet for a minute before he heard Derek once more. “Someone special? Has pretty boy found himself a pretty boy of his own?”

Remy moved up right behind Spencer, a hand on either shoulder now, rubbing at them in a way that had Spencer's head bowing slightly. Man, that felt wonderful. The little bit of tension that had gathered there was fading away underneath Remy’s touch. He closed his eyes, letting his head fall forward. Before he got a chance to answer Derek’s question, the man suddenly asked him “Wait a second…are you alone right now, kid?”

Just because, Spencer found himself answering honestly. “No.”

“Oh man, I’m definitely coming by tomorrow. What time you want us at your place?”

“I was thinking around ten.” Spencer stifled the moan that wanted to slip out. Remy’s hands were absolute magic on the knots in his shoulders and neck. Knots he hadn’t even known were there! “Is that all right with you?”

“Fine by me. We’ll be there. And then you’ve got some explaining to do, Reid.” Derek teased.

 _You have no idea, Morgan_. “See you then.” Was all he said. Then he hung up the phone, letting it drop down into his lap, and he stopped trying to focus on anything but Remy’s hands.

Remy’s hands kept moving as he leaned in and pressed a kiss to the back of Spencer's head. “I could see y’ getting tense, me. Thought I’d help y’ relax.”

“Mm.” It was the best response Spencer could give. When Remy’s hands slipped down to his biceps and a gentle kiss was pressed against his neck, it seemed almost natural for Spencer to shift and turn himself so that he could look at Remy’s face. He brought his free hand up, letting it rest over Remy’s heart, and he marveled to himself how easy this was. “All of this is so easy with you.” He found himself saying softly. “It’s never been like this for me before. I’ve never been this comfortable around…anyone.”

A soft look came over Remy’s face. “Me neither. Dat’s what tells me it’s right.”

“But it makes no sense. I’ve only known you eleven days now.”

“Don’t make no matter, Spencer.” His hand slid up Spencer's arm, moving to cup his cheek. “Maybe fo’ de average people, dis would be fast. But…I t’ink y’ and I got something going fo’ us dat most people don’t.”

Curious, Spencer tipped his face up. “Oh?”

A smile curved Remy’s lips and he pressed a kiss to the tip of Spencer’s nose, making the young doctor smile back. “ _Oui, mon mari_. Our empathy. In a regular dating and relationship, half of it is getting to know one another and de other half is trying to figure out de feelings. What y’ feel, what de other feels. Y’ and I, we can look at one another and know what de other is feeling, yeah? Now, dat don’t mean dat I aint scared, just like anyone else.”

That had Spencer rubbing his cheek over Remy’s hand, soothing them both a little. This was the most serious they’d really talked about their relationship since the beginning. He was curious to see where this would lead and what kinds of things he would discover. The whole conversation felt…important. “What are you scared of, Remy?”

“Oh, de usual t’ings. Scared y’r gonna find someone else. Scared y’r gonna get to know me and find out dat I’m not what y’ want. Scared y’r gonna hear t’ings bout me someday dat y’ don’t like and dat y’r gonna leave, just like everyone else done.” Those red and black eyes were locked on Spencer’s, so open and serious in that moment. “De same t’ings I know y’r scared of. _Mais_ de more I get to know y’, de more we’re around one another, de more dat I t’ink we were right in giving dis a shot. Y’r worth de risk to me.”

The bigger part of Spencer wanted to drop his head down and hide his face against Remy’s chest. But if the Cajun could have the strength to look at him as he bared his heart, then Spencer could do no less. So he maintained eye contact as he spoke. “You’re worth it to me too, Remy. You…I feel things with you that no one else has made me feel.” His words had Remy flushing a little and his look wasn’t as confident now; it was shy and flustered. Something in Remy’s shyness, his obvious happiness at Spencer’s words, gave the young doctor a little more bravery than he normally would have had. He smiled at Remy and maintained eye contact, moving his hand to cup a cheek just slightly rough with stubble. “If you but knew / how all my days seemed filled with dreams of you / How sometimes in the silent night / your eyes thrill me through with their tender light / how oft I hear your voice when others speak / how ‘mid others forms I seek.”

The last thing he’d thought to see in reaction to his words was tears; but those were what built in Remy’s eyes. He turned his cheek into Spencer’s palm for a second, taking a moment to blink back the moisture that had built in his eyes. Spencer’s heart gave a little throb. “Remy…”

“No one’s ever spoke poetry to me before.” The Cajun murmured. Emotion had thickened his voice and his accent. “No one’s ever touched me with words de way y’ do. I was always de one courting others and here y’ are, charming me without even trying.”

In that moment, it seemed the most natural thing for Spencer to cup his hand a little and pull Remy toward him. He brought his other hand up, framing Remy’s face, and he twisted himself a little more so he was fully facing him. The kiss seemed the most perfect thing in that moment. Spencer closed his eyes and sighed into it. He felt Remy’s one hand slip back down so that they were both settled on his biceps again. Not to push him back, but just to hold on. The kiss started out so soft and sweet, a sharing of emotion as much as anything else. When they pulled apart, they looked at one another, words seeming to dry up.

Remy moved this time, leaning back in, pulling on Spencer’s arms to bring him back close. This kiss carried a little more emotion to it; a hint of heat. Thought drained from Spencer’s mind. His hands slid from Remy’s face to the back of his neck. Whether he fell back or Remy pushed, Spencer had no idea, but he found himself lying back against his pillows. This kiss broke only for their fall and then his mouth was captured again. The heat was stronger this time, spreading from their kiss and awakening the nerves along Spencer’s body. That heat grew as Remy’s body stretched over his, one leg somehow finding its way to be nestled between his, cradled against somewhere intimate.

One of Remy’s hands propped him up on the bed while the other slipped to the hem of Spencer’s shirt, reaching under slowly at first and then, when he met no resistance, smoothly going to the soft skin of Spencer’s side, tracing the curves there. Spencer gasped into their kiss and that was all the invitation Remy seemed to need to slide his tongue in.

Spencer wasn’t entirely submissive underneath him. He rolled his hips slightly, grinding himself against Remy’s leg and grinding his leg against Remy. This time it was Remy who gasped and moaned. He broke their kiss and stared down at Spencer, the both of them panting. But his hand didn’t stop its movements, sliding over Spencer’s stomach and up to his chest.  When he found Spencer’s nipple, he pinched it lightly, rolling it between his fingers and bringing a moan past Spencer’s lips.

Spencer dropped his head back and arched into Remy’s touch. He’d had enough of just lying there. His hands moved, pushing at the bottom of Remy’s shirt. The older man got the hint and sat up just enough to grab the hem and, without hesitation, he pulled his shirt up an off, tossing it to the side of the bed. Spencer swore he felt the spit dry up in his mouth at all that beautiful skin that was revealed. Holy shit, the man was _gorgeous_.

He had no idea how far they were going to take this. Neither was thinking on it. Spencer felt as if he was drowning in emotion and sensation and he could see the same in Remy’s eyes. Not just the physical side of it, but the sensations of lust from one another that were like a drug, adding to their heat. Hands went on either side of Spencer’s head as Remy bent to take his lips again. Spencer arched up to him and let his hands go to Remy’s back, clinging for a moment before sliding down. He gave in to the urge he’d had for a while now and let his hands slip low, cupping Remy’s backside through his pants. He used that grip to pull the man's hips down while rolling his own upwards at the same time, creating a delicious friction between them.

Remy broke the kiss on a ragged gasp. “ _Dieu_.” He breathed out. It was the first word either of them had spoken since this had started. “ _Dieu_ , Spencer.” Dropping his head down, he pressed his lips to Spencer’s neck, nuzzling the skin there before nipping lightly. Spencer shuddered out a breath and tipped his chin up. He kept his hands on Remy, keeping up the motion of both their hips, keeping that friction going that was driving them mad. He was hard and aching and it gave him a thrill to feel that Remy was just as hard and was aching just as much. When Remy sucked on his neck, he hummed happily. When the suck turned to a bite, he gasped and his hips jerked at the pleasure of it.

All of a sudden, they both heard a sound out towards the living room that had them freezing in place. Just as they started to move, Spencer reaching for the drawer of his nightstand where his gun sat, he heard another sound that made him freeze all over again. “Spen-cer! Yoo hoo, anyone home?” Alex Summers called out.

Spencer's eyes went wide and he slowly turned his head, looking up at Remy, who was equally frozen over him. The two stared at one another, both thinking the same thing. What the hell was going to happen now?


	6. Chapter 6

The two moved faster than ever as Remy rolled off of Spencer and Spencer sat up. Even so, they weren’t quite fast enough to do…whatever it was they thought they were going to do. Alex had no sense of privacy whatsoever and he hadn’t hesitated to come down the hall. Just as Spencer sat up, Alex strolled right into his room. “Hey pi…” His greeting cut off when he saw the two frozen men on the bed, one of them without a shirt. That was enough to make him stop. Then his eyes caught up with his brain and he realized who exactly was on the bed. “Gambit?”

Remy licked suddenly dry lips. “ _Bonsoir,_ Havok.” The words were casual, yet his body shifted back just a tiny bit toward Spencer as if seeking comfort. That was all it took to snap Spencer out of his frozen stupor. He casually pushed his legs off the bed, rising to his feet. “Haven’t you heard of knocking, Alex? Or calling before you stop by? They have magical devices known as telephones that actually allow you to talk to someone over long distances.” He moved as he spoke, grabbing Remy’s shirt and tossing it to him before going to grab their robes from the top of a box in the corner. Sniping with Alex came easy, seeing as how they always talked that way, and doing it now gave him a moment to calm himself.

After pulling on his robe, Spencer walked over to Remy, holding his out for him. Remy slipped out of bed and let Spencer help him into his robe. When it was on, Spencer bent in close, acting as if he were adjusting the collar. “It’ll be okay.” He murmured to him. He gave Remy’s shoulder a squeeze and then turned back to Alex. “Why don’t we take this out to the kitchen? It’s a little late for coffee, but I believe there’s still a bottle of Bordeaux in a box in the living room.” He didn’t give Alex time to answer. With a hand on Remy’s back, he gestured the man forward, letting him lead the way out. “Would you grab the wine please, Remy? Alex, the corkscrew is in the small box on the counter by the coffee pot. I’ll grab the glasses.”

Spencer was reaching to grab the glasses when Alex seemed to find his voice once more. “What the hell is going on here?”

“We’re about to drink a very nice Bordeaux.” Quirking an eyebrow, Spencer brought the glasses over to the table. “Feel special, as I wouldn’t typically waste wine on you. You never appreciate it.”

Alex scowled at him. He reached out and grabbed Spencer's arm, stopping him in place. “That’s not what I’m talking about and you know it. What the hell is this?” When Remy came in, Alex turned to look at him. “Last I heard you’d died. How the hell are you here?”

That had Remy’s façade cracking for a moment. He stumbled, one hand darting out to catch himself on the back of the chair. His eyes were a little wider when they lifted to Alex’s face. “Is dat what dey’re saying?”

Cautiously, Alex let go of Spencer, turning fully to face the Cajun. “That’s what Scott said when he called. I mean, the man was shitfaced when he called me, but he was pretty clear about that.” His eyes darted back and forth from Spencer to Remy, the question in them clear.

Very carefully Remy reached out and set the bottle of wine on the table. Then he brought that hand to the back of the chair as well. His hands were gripping the wood so tightly his knuckles were turning white. “Dey told dem dat Gambit died. Dat he died in dat frozen wasteland. So Cyke, Wolvie, Stormy, dey all t’ink…dey t’ink Gambit died up dere.”

It wasn’t hard for Spencer to see the agony on his husband. On top of that, he could feel it. He set the glasses down on the table and moved over to Remy, reaching out to him. He put one hand in the small of his back, not wanting to push too close right now until he knew if Remy would welcome the touch. He cast a glare at Alex, trying to tell him without words to back off this, dammit. Hurt was rolling off Remy in waves and it made Spencer ache for him.

“He does.” Alex’s voice had softened a little as he realized that he’d stepped into something that was a hell of a lot more than he’d thought it was. “He said he didn’t believe them at first. Apparently he went with Logan and Hank to go look for you but they finally had to come home. Logan is convinced you aren’t dead. He said he wouldn’t believe it without a body.”

Because he was watching Remy carefully, Spencer saw as the chair underneath Remy’s hands started to glow faintly. The first thought he had was _oh shit_. He had to get this under control and fast, before Remy managed to blow up part of his apartment. Spencer reached his free hand up, laying it over Remy’s. He focused on the emotion he felt for this man, the warmth, the affection that was growing daily, the lust, everything that Remy inspired in him that was good. He focused on it, knowing Remy would feel that and wanting to give the man something positive to feel in the mix of all that hurt. “Pull in your charge, Remy.” He said slowly. “Pull it in before you blow the chair.”

Little by little, Spencer saw the glow fade away until finally the chair looked normal once more. Only then did Spencer move his hand and only to slip his fingers underneath one of Remy’s hands, pressing palm to palm. He held on tight, using that grip to cement their contact, still pushing those warm feelings out to wrap around Remy like a blanket, enveloping him in the good to try and chase away the bad. He stepped a little closer, right up against his side. After a short pause, Remy moved his free hand, pulling it out and wrapping that arm around Spencer's waist, bringing him in even closer in a tight grip. Spencer moved his hand up from Remy’s back to the back of his head where he threaded his fingers in his hair, cradling him close, offering him the only support he could. A little shudder ran down Remy’s body. There, pressed against Spencer, he spoke once more. “Dey…dey really came to look fo’ Gambit? What about de, ah, de trial?”

Seeing Remy shaking, vulnerable, leaning on someone for support, and seeing him leaning on Spencer of all people and Spencer was _letting him_ , it was all enough to throw Alex for a loop. He had no idea what the hell he had stepped into. This wasn’t like either person. Remy never, _ever_ , showed any sign of weakness. Not in the entire time that Alex had known him. Hell, it was something he was notorious for! He was always in control of his emotions. Nothing ever seemed to get to him. Nothing ever broke that mask. Until now. That mask that Alex was used to seeing here, it was gone. There was tension in Remy’s jawline, lines around his eyes, and he seemed to have paled slightly. Whatever the hell was going on here, it hurt him, and it hurt him bad. Alex could see it.

As for Spencer…he wasn’t acting like himself, either. Since when did Spencer touch someone so openly? When did he let people into his personal space? That wasn’t like him! It also wasn’t like Spencer to try to comfort someone, let alone to do it with _touch_. He was always awkward when it came to people who were emotional. All three brothers were. They were more likely to offer a few uncomfortable words, maybe a pat on the back, and then find some way out of the situation. Out of them all, Scott did the best, and even he hated to deal with really emotion things.

Yet here Spencer was, plastered against Remy’s side. Alex watched as Spencer pressed his forehead against the side of Remy’s head and Remy’s eyes closed as he gave another little tremble. Alex had to swallow before he could make himself answer Remy’s question. “To quote him, Scott said it was ‘the biggest load of bullshit I’ve ever heard. No one had any right to judge. None.’ He never said more on it than that. He told me that your business had been spread enough, he wasn’t going to help people do any more damage.”

“Alex, go to the living room.” Spencer didn’t lift his head from Remy as he murmured those words. It was a testament to the relationship between them that Alex didn’t even question him. He just left the dining room and went to the living room, granting them privacy. Once he was sure the other man was out of sight, Spencer pulled on Remy, turning him so that he could let go of his hand and wrap his arms around him. Remy’s arms came around his waist, hands fisting in the back of his robe, his face burying against Spencer's neck. Neither one of them said anything at first. Spencer just held him as Remy trembled, each breath shuddering in and out of him. Remy didn’t shed a tear and Spencer didn’t expect him to. Even though Alex was in the living room, he was still here and Remy wouldn’t break with people around to witness. That wasn’t the type of person he was. Spencer could practically see as Remy drew his pride around himself, using it like a cloak to shelter the hurt from view. Eventually the trembles stopped all together.

Remy turned his face a little, pressing a light kiss against the side of Spencer's neck. “ _Merci beaucoup_.” He murmured against Spencer's skin.

Squeezing him lightly, Spencer answered “That’s what partners are for.”

“ _Merde_. T’ink I’m ready fo’ dat drink now.”

Spencer chuckled as they pulled apart. He let his hand slip off Remy’s hair, coming forward to stroke lightly over his cheek, earning him a light kiss in the center of his palm. The two moved, Remy taking a seat while Spencer opened the wine. “You’re free to come back, Alex.”

When his brother came back in the room, Spencer gestured him to a seat. Then he took his own seat beside Remy, reaching out for glasses and pouring them all a drink. “Now, because I know you have questions, I’m going to explain things before you start to ask them.” Spencer said calmly. He purposely acted as if nothing amiss had just happened, simply moving on. Handing a glass to Alex, he smiled at him. “And I will tell you now that yelling at me is going to do you no good, so do not attempt it.” And with that warning, Spencer handed a glass to Remy, took his own and sat back in his seat. He and Remy joined hands between them as Spencer started their story. “The first night that I was in Vegas…”

Alex stayed quiet all the way until Spencer got to that one big piece of news in all this. Spencer didn’t give details, simply saying “The night before I left, we decided to go out instead of just spending time at the hotel. A good portion of the night is a blur, but when we woke up in the morning we both had vague memories and a piece of paper, telling us we were married.”

“You’re _what_?” Alex practically shouted.

Glaring, Spencer took a sip off his wine. “I told you not to yell at me, Alexander Summers. I’m not in the mood for it.”

“The hell with being in the mood for it, Spencer! You just up and tell me you married some dude you openly admit you’d known for just shy of a week at the time and you think I’m going to, what, throw confetti?” He was glaring back at Spencer just as hard as Spencer was glaring at him. “What the hell? And you didn’t even call to tell us!”

“Of course I didn’t.” Spencer said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. He rolled his eyes, taking another drink of the wine before setting his glass on the table. “It would’ve brought everyone here and that was what we were trying to avoid. Not only does Remy deserve some time before he’s faced with anything from that life, but I’d like a chance to get to know my husband a little better without having a whole crowd of people hovering over our shoulders. We were going to tell all of you when we were ready.”

“And what’s all this? All your shits packed up. You moving and not telling us either?”

To Remy’s surprise, Spencer grinned at that question. “Actually, yes. But that was purely for fun.”

Remy couldn’t resist asking “Fun?”

“Yes.” Spencer's grin grew just a little devilish. “See, Scott always knocks when he visits, or at least calls first. But Alex has this tendency to just break in, as you saw. I was hoping he’d come to see me and break in on some poor soul. Can you just picture it?” The obvious glee in his voice had Remy wanting to smile and had Alex scowling.

The Cajun shook his head. “I was right. Y’ve got de devil down under dat niceness.” Some of the tension in Remy’s face was replaced by good humor. Impulsively, he leaned over and kissed Spencer. “Bless y’r heart. Knew I made a good choice, me.”

Alex made gagging sounds from his side of the table. “Refrain from doing that while I’m here, please. Ew. I can’t think of my baby brother kissing someone.”

“If y’d showed up just ten minutes later, y’ prolly woulda seen somet’ing a lot more in’eresting.” Remy said with a wink. Spencer laughed as Alex gagged again.

Waving a hand as if to clear away that conversation, Alex took a deep breath and his expression evened out. “I’m not gonna yell about this and I’m not gonna make a fuss. This is your life, pidge. You’re the most level headed person I know, so if you’re seriously committing to this, I’m gonna support you. I’ve just, I’ve gotta ask. He makes you happy? Not just content, but happy?”

Spencer didn’t even have to think. “Yes.”

“He treats you well?”

“Yes.”

Nodding, Alex turned to look at Remy. “You hurt him and I promise you, I’ll break your legs. We clear on that?”

When Spencer made to protest, Remy squeezed his hand in a bid for quiet. He met Alex’s eyes levelly. “ _Oui_.”

“Good.” The serious look faded away and was replaced with Alex’s usual grin. “I’ll wish you the best of luck then, Gambit. The little shit can be a giant pain in the ass when he wants to be. Hope you’re ready for that.”

“Don’t mind, me. Keeps me on m’ toes.” Smirking, Remy lifted Spencer's hand and placed a kiss on it. Then he smiled at Alex. “And y’r _mon beau-frère_ now. T’ink y’ can call me Remy.” At their blank looks, Remy let out a dramatic sigh and rolled his eyes. “Gonna have to teach de whole lot of y’, aint I? _Dieu_. It mean’s brother-in-law. I can see I’m gonna be translating m’self fo’ a while. Den again, y’ won’t know what m’ insults are, will y’?” He said the last with a grin so falsely innocent that Spencer could only laugh. Reaching out, he tugged on a lock of Remy’s hair. “I’m a fast learner.”

“Sounds promising.”

Another laugh bubbled from Spencer. From his seat, Alex sat back and watched the two pick at one another for a moment, watching the way they smiled at one another. There was a lightness to Spencer's face that Alex couldn’t remember seeing there before. His eyes practically lit up each time he looked at Remy. Then there was the touching. Spencer was never a touchy person except for with Alex and Scott, yet he was sitting there holding Remy’s hand, letting the man touch him casually as they talked. He’d comforted Remy by holding him earlier and he’d done it like it was the most natural thing. If what he’d seen so far was any indication of what having Remy in Spencer's life was going to do, then Alex was going to be completely behind them. Anything that made Spencer this happy, Alex was all for.

Picking up his wine glass, he hid a smile. _Congratulations, pidge_ he thought to himself. _If anyone deserves happiness, it’s got to be you._


	7. Chapter 7

The second pot of coffee of the morning had just finished brewing when there was a knock on the door. Spencer was busy packing away the last few items into a box, things like the bathroom essentials they’d left out to use that morning. “Alex, will you get that?” He called down the hall.

“Yeah, yeah! Geeze. Come to visit and I get put to work. What the hell kind of vacation is this?”

The grumbling just made Spencer grin. He was in a pretty good mood this morning, all things considered. The night had gone rather well and it had left him with a peaceful feeling. Alex hadn’t seemed to have a single problem once he made sure that his brother was happy. Reassured of that, he’d relaxed and the visit had been just like normal, only with an added person in the mix. It had helped that Remy and Alex got along well. The trio had sat up for a few hours, drinking their wine, telling stories and laughing. Of course, Alex had embarrassed Spencer with stories from childhood or dumb things that Spencer had done, but he’d also had a few stories about times he’d visited at the mansion and silly things that Remy had done. It had been almost midnight before they’d decided to tuck in for bed. Spencer had grabbed a blanket for Alex, who slept out on the couch. Spencer couldn’t help but grumble a little in his mind as he went to sleep curled up against Remy; if Alex hadn’t shown up, something else much more interesting might have happened in that bed than just sleep.

When morning had rolled around, they’d all eventually got up and started to get things together. Alex was as much of a morning person as Remy—loosely translating to _not at all_ —so there had been a bit of grumbling until everyone had at least a cup of coffee in them. Then they’d got to work.

Spencer heard the sound of his friends as he was closing up the box. He gathered it in his arms, taking a breath to prepare himself before walking out of the bathroom and down the hall. Alex was standing in the living room with Derek, Penelope and Emily, the three of them laughing at something Alex had said. “Hey, guys.” Spencer smiled as he set his box down on a stack. In a flash he found himself wrapped up in a tight hug courtesy of Penelope. “Oh, sweetie! You look good!” she exclaimed as she pulled back. “Look at you! You had me so worried when you left but you look like the time away has done you good!”

“She’s right.” Emily told him with a smile. “You look really good, Reid.”

Flushing, Spencer stepped back from Penelope’s hug, bringing one hand up to rub at his neck. “You guys make it sound like I looked horrendous before I left.”

Derek walked over and pulled him in for that one armed version of a hug. A ‘man hug’ as Penelope called them. “Hate to break it to you, kid, but you looked like a zombie before you left. But they’re right. You look healthy again. Happy.”

“I just needed some breathing space. I’m doing quite well.” Catching Alex’s sharp grin, Spencer glared at him to warn him to shut up. “Don’t even, Alex.”

His brother brought a hand up, putting it innocently over his heart. “Who, me? I’m being an angel over here, pidge.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it.”

The argument was forestalled by another knock on his door. Within moments, the apartment was packed full of people as Aaron and Jack showed up, followed Dave. They’d barely gotten their greetings out of the way when there was another knock and JJ, Will and Henry all filed in. Spencer's tiny apartment was more packed than he’d ever seen it before. Everyone was talking all at the same time and Spencer was being hugged by people and it should have been claustrophobic and yet it wasn’t. The room was full of happy emotions that would have made him almost punch-drunk if he’d lowered his shields at all. Then, in the midst of that chaos, the door opened.

Earlier Remy had made a run down the street to drop off a few things at the Goodwill drop point that was set up on the corner and to indulge in a morning cigarette. He was extremely good about not smoking in the apartment or the car, to which Spencer was thankful. He wouldn’t criticize the man for smoking but he was not going to live in a house that smelled like it and he’d made that clear, much to Remy’s amusement. The man promised to keep his smoking outside at their new place.

Now he came walking in, obviously not expecting to find the place as packed as he did. Surprise passed over his face as he looked at the people in front of him. Penelope was closest and she gave him a wide grin. “You must be the person Reid wants to introduce us to. Come in, come in. Everyone just got here!” She said excitedly. Without hesitation she threaded her arm through his and pulled him in the apartment. “I’m Penelope Garcia, by the way, and I’m so very happy to meet you. How do you know our precocious Dr. Reid?”

A sigh slid out of Spencer and he moved forward, threading his way through everyone. “Garcia, give him a chance to breathe and get inside at least.” He chided her. As space cleared for them to come through, Spencer couldn’t help but admire the man coming toward him. Remy had dressed comfortably for work, yet he’d also dressed to impress a little. Dark black jeans that were artfully faded and torn in random places, a black a-shirt with a red over shirt that had only two of its buttons done to hold it closed and over it all was his trench coat. He’d even left his hair down so far, though Spencer knew he’d pull it back as they got to work, and he was wearing his sunglasses. He looked…well, the only word that came to Spencer's mind was delicious.

Remy flashed a charming smile at Penelope. “She aint bothering me none, cher. It’s a pleasure to meet y, _mademoiselle_. Spencer's told me plenty bout y’.”

“Charmer.” Alex threw out mockingly.

The man didn’t even bother to deny it. He grinned over toward Alex and called out “Jealous, _mon ami_?”

To stave off what could easily progress to a fun argument, Spencer reached out and tugged at a lock of Remy’s hair as he got close, earning him a quick scowl. “Quit taunting my brother.”

“He makes it s’easy.” But he looked at Spencer's face and his expression softened a little, the scowl fading to a faint smile. “ _Mais_ I guess I can be good, _non_? Fo’ now.”

“Thank you.” He met Remy’s gaze and raised an eyebrow, silently asking ‘are you ready for this?’ A shrug and a smile were the answer he got. But he could see the slight tensing of the man’s body that showed the hidden tension.

Best to get it done. Spencer was a little grateful their back was by the wall. It allowed him to take Remy’s hand and turn so that they were facing everyone. _Well, here goes nothing._ “Remy, I’d like you to meet Penelope Garcia, Emily Prentiss, Derek Morgan, Aaron Hotchner and his son Jack, David Rossi, Jennifer Jareau, Will LaMontagne, and their son Henry.” At the sound of his name, Henry came running toward his godfather, hands extended as he demanded “Up!” making the whole room start to laugh. Spencer bent and picked the boy up, pulling him onto his hip. Henry, who was well used to his Uncle Spencer's slight awkwardness, easily latched onto the man and sat there, content to be where he wanted to be. Spencer smiled at him before turning to look back at everyone, moving his free hand to lace with Remy’s once more in an effort to still both their nerves. Time for the bombshell. “Guys, I’d like you to meet Remy…my husband. We got married my last night in Vegas.”

The room went absolutely silent for a beat before Penelope’s squeal broke it. She leapt forward, pulling Spencer into a tight hug, almost squishing Henry between them. “Oh my God!” She cried out. She switched over, giving Remy a tight hug, stunning the man. “Congratulations you two! Oh, this is wonderful!” Then she stepped back, slapping Spencer's arm. “How dare you not tell us in advance? You are in so much trouble for not inviting me, Spencer Reid! We’re going to have to throw you guys a belated party!”

Penelope’s reaction gave enough time for the others to regain their own composure at the news. Emily stepped forward next, smiling at him, and then Spencer once more found himself converged on, hugged more than he’d ever been hugged as everyone offered their congratulations. Spencer easily caught their worry in the air and their confusion. He even caught the little hint of hurt from Derek that made him want to wince. Yet they all offered hugs to Spencer and handshakes to Remy. Not that they didn’t have their questions; he could see they did. But he knew them well enough to know that they wouldn’t push it right in this moment. Especially not with the children right there. They’d watch and they’d wait.

The group shifted and JJ stepped up and pulled Remy in for a hug, telling him “Welcome to the family, Remy.” And then she teased Spencer “There’s something about that accent, isn’t there?”

Hoping to ease just a bit of the tension in the air, Spencer finally passed Henry back off to JJ and told everyone “Why don’t we get this started? There’s not a ton, but there’s plenty and I’d like to at least get some things over and our bed set up before dark.”

That got everyone moving. For now, they all put aside the questions Spencer knew they had and everyone set to work getting things moved out. Spencer took a moment to squeeze Remy’s hand and smile at him. “I told you it’d be fine.”

Even though he couldn’t see it, he just knew Remy rolled his eyes at him behind his sunglasses. “We got past de first hurdle, _mon mari_. Let’s see how dey take de rest of it, _oui_?”

“One step at a time, Remy. Enjoy each victory for what it is.”

CXCX

It really was easy to avoid the questions he didn’t want to answer for the next couple hours. Everyone was kept busy, chatting and laughing as they moved. It also helped that Remy was a naturally charming person—even without the use of his ‘charm power’, as he called it—and he kept the people around him smiling. Things were loaded into the four trucks downstairs; apparently Aaron and Dave each had a truck that they’d brought with them. Emily and Penelope loaded down their vehicles and JJ and Will loaded down their truck while Derek and Remy loaded the bed into the back of Derek’s truck. In the end, Spencer was utterly surprised that they actually got everything loaded in with just this one trip. Then he looked at the amount of vehicles and he wasn’t as surprised. Four trucks and three cars, all packed to the brim. He really didn’t have a ton of things. He’d never seen the need to get a bunch when he had little space and was the only person living there.

Everyone piled into their cars and Spencer and Remy led the procession, though they gave the address to everyone just in case they got separated.

When they all arrived at the house, Spencer climbed out of the car tossed the keys across the hood to Remy. “Would you get it unlocked and open for me? I’ll get people directed on where to take some things.”

The first person to park behind him was Emily. “It’s so cozy looking, Reid!” She exclaimed as she got out of her car and looked at the little brick house. “How many bedrooms is it?”

“Two bedrooms, plus a den that we’re making my office and an attic.”

She stopped by him, lifting a hand to pat his shoulder. “You look happy, Reid. Really happy.”

That happiness was what prompted him to give a lengthier answer than he might have typically. With more honesty than Emily had expected, he said “I am. He makes me smile again. I didn’t realize how long it had been since I smiled like this until he came around.” Unconsciously, his eyes sought out his spouse, watching as Remy pushed the door open and then was jogging down the short front lawn to where the others were pulling up with their trucks.

Emily squeezed his shoulder before letting go. “I can see that. I’m glad, Reid. You deserve it.”

Conversation was cut off as chaos descended on them once more. Spencer found himself caught up in it all as they carried box after box into the house. He and Remy steered people to where things were supposed to go until everyone had the gist of rooms and then they were all just carrying things in. Spencer came back out to grab something and saw Derek at one of the trucks, moving the dresser there. He didn’t think before going over to give him a hand. “Here, let me help.”

Derek took a look at him and furrowed his eyebrows. “You sure you’re okay enough for that, kid?”

“To carry a dresser? I think I can manage helping, Morgan. Last I checked, my arms work just fine.”

The slightly sarcastic reply was enough to have Derek giving him a little smile which was what Spencer had been aiming for. He hated seeing that little hurt look on Derek’s face. As his best friend, he was probably wondering why he hadn’t even known about Remy before. He wasn’t letting it get in the way, though. “All right, Reid. Smart ass. Support that end and we’ll get it out before getting it up. Man, even with the drawers out, this damn thing weighs a ton.”

Spencer grabbed his end and they slowly maneuvered the dresser down and out of the truck. He wanted to tell Derek that it absolutely did not weigh a ton but he had to focus on what he was doing so he didn’t drop it on himself. When they finally got it out, they got on either side of it and squatted, lifting the dresser up. Spencer cursed fluently in his head as his knee gave a pop in protest. People moved out of the way for them as they carried the dresser into the house and back to the bedroom. When Spencer started to lower his end, he found hands there helping him, getting it easily onto the ground. Then those hands were at his elbow, helping him to straighten back up. Spencer knew the touch before he even looked up. What he hadn’t expected was the temper there. “Remy?”

“Are y’ insane, Spencer?” Remy snapped at him. He fisted his hands on his hips and glared. “Y’ been pushing y’r knee lately and den y’ go and do heavy lifting on it? What was y’ t’inking? Dere’s plenty of people here dat coulda carried dat fo’ y’!”

Shrugging, Spencer hooked his hands in his pockets. “It needed to be done and I was there.”

“ _Couillon_. Y’ keep to de boxes, Spencer Reid. Don’t be lifting no more furniture.”

Now _that_ had Spencer arching an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“Y’ can get as offended as y’ want. I aint standing by while y’ hurt y’rself cause y’r too damn stubborn to take care of y’rself.” Remy reached out, surprising him by snagging his waist and pulling him in close, stealing a kiss. His next words were softer, a little gentler. “It’s m’ job to look out fo’ y’ de same way it’s y’rs to look out fo’ me. Stick with de boxes, Spencer. _S’il tu plait_?”

“Well, since you asked so nicely.” He could’ve stayed offended at Remy’s original order except he could feel the emotion behind it. The concern that was honest in his words. He really was worried about Spencer hurting himself. Lifting a hand, Spencer put it over Remy’s heart, softening slightly. “Sorry. I’m used to just doing what needs to be done, no matter what. I’m still learning how to accept help on some things. I don’t do it on purpose. I just…I don’t think about it.”

Remy said something low in Cajun that Spencer didn’t understand. Then the older man leaned in, capturing his lips in a kiss that was soft and sweet.

They broke apart when they heard someone shout down the hall to them. “Hey, Reid! The troops are hungry and we’re ordering pizza. Sound good?” JJ called out to him.

Abruptly Spencer remembered where he was and what he was supposed to be doing. He also realized that Derek had long since left the room. Spencer pulled back, asking Remy’s opinion with a look and getting a smile in return. Then he leaned around him, calling back “Sounds good to us!”

CXCX

Spencer shifted the box on his hip down onto the freshly set up kitchen table, looking around the dining room to see what else was needed before he turned to head back out. When he did he had to stop, watching as Alex and Remy came in carrying the couch. Spencer stood off to the side, watching them take it to the living room and go to set it down in the spot the two men had picked. There was a thump as the couch shifted and then Alex was snarling out “Fuck!” lifting his hand and shaking out his fingers.

Spencer walked over and smacked the back of Alex’s head. “Watch your mouth. There are children present.” He scolded, casting his eyes to where JJ stood with Jack and Henry.

A scowl settled on Alex’s face. “Dude, I squished my finger. I’m entitled to at least one swear word!” Still, he turned to where the kids were and then looked to JJ, who was glaring at him. “Sorry, ma’am.” Then he turned back to Spencer. “And don’t hit me, brat.”

A little sneer curled Spencer's lip in automatic response to Alex’s snotty tone. He couldn’t stop himself from rolling his eyes. The two moved toward the dining room, intending on taking care of things in there. Spencer opened the patio door to the backyard, letting some air in. “Don’t whine, Alex. It makes you sound like even more of a brat.”

“Shove it. You’re younger than I am.”

“But much smarter.” Spencer flashed him a grin.

Alex snorted, stopping what he was doing to glare at him. “Yeah, yeah, genius boy. Rub it in.”

Smirking, Spencer looked over at his brother. “I still maintain that intelligence cannot be accurately quantified. Yet in your case, there is so little there it mostly likely would take very little to quantify it.”

“Uk-fay ou-yay.”

That was enough to stop him. Pig Latin? Alex was insulting him in _Pig Latin_? Spencer brought one hand up, pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes while drawing a deep breath. The gesture was so identical to one that Alex had seen Scott make multiple times that it made him chuckle a little. Keeping his eyes closed, Spencer asked “Do you think you could manage for five whole minutes, if you can count that high, to refrain from opening your mouth and allowing the stupid to fall out?”

 “Oh, go blow it out your ear, you ass hat.”

Mouth hanging open, Spencer stood still, unable to comprehend what it was he’d just been called. “Did…did you just call me an _ass hat_?” he spluttered. Had that seriously been what Alex had said? Seriously? “What kind of insult is that? What on _earth_ is an ass hat? Alexander, you cannot simply make up insults!”

“That wasn’t a made up insult. I’ve heard others use it.” The obvious distress on Spencer's face had him grinning. Neither paid any attention to the audience they’d attracted for this argument. “Now, if I called you a snotsickle, _that_ would be a made up insult. Or a dipshidiot.” Pausing and tipping his head to the side, Alex grinned. “Oh, I like that one. Dipshidiot. You are totally a dipshidiot.”

“You can’t do that!” Spencer shook his head in disbelief.  “I swear, how on earth are we related? I’m ashamed to let people know we’re brothers!”

With only a moment to register it, Spencer saw Alex grin and bend low. Then suddenly his brother was running into him, his shoulder against Spencer’s stomach, and he was lifting him up into the air. Spencer grabbed the back of Alex’s shirt and clung for dear life, unsure at first if he was going to be thrown or dropped or what. But Alex just hung him over his shoulder and reached up to loudly smack his ass. “You can’t deny me. I’m the most awesome out of all of us! You’re just jealous of my awesomeness, Spencey.”

“Don’t call me Spencey!” He shouted out. Furious, he slammed his hands against Alex’s back. “And put me down, right now!”

Alex laughed. “How the hell did you pass hand-to-hand, man? You hit like a girl!”

“Hit like…listen here! Put me down and I’ll show you how I hit, you puffed up, egotistical, overgrown _swine_!”

All of a sudden Spencer became aware of more than just Alex’s laughter. Heat flooded his cheeks as he realized that everyone was watching them. Remy’s amused voice filled the room. “Alex, put _mon mari_ down, _s’il tu plait_.”

“Do I have to?” Alex joked.

Annoyed all over again, Spencer gave in to his baser urges, not caring how childish it made him look. Something about Alex seemed to bring out the snotty little kid inside of Spencer. He twisted himself just enough that he could turn his head and then he bit down on Alex’s side. Hard. A loud bellow echoed off the walls and Spencer found himself unceremoniously dropped straight down to the ground where he hit with a solid thud that jostled his head. He looked up through his messy hair to see Alex glaring at him. His brother scowled down at him. “You bit me! You little brat, you _bit_ me!”

“You deserved it!” With one hand Spencer pushed his hair back from his face so he could better glare. “You insulted me with your barrage of made up words and then you proceeded to lift me like some simplistic he-man!”

Alex aimed a kick at him that Spencer quickly rolled to evade. Apparently Alex took that as a challenge. He dove toward Spencer, who only had a split second to yank himself out the back door. Then Alex was on him and the two were rolling around the ground.

Over the years, ever since that first time they’d met the Summers brothers, the team had seen them together often enough to have grown almost used to these fights. They were still amusing to watch and they still worried occasionally but they knew better than to try and step in. JJ rolled her eyes heavenward and led Henry and Jack away, already starting in on a lecture to them to never fight with someone, as fighting was not okay. “So why is Spencer fighting?” Jack asked her curiously. JJ snorted and kept going. “Because Spencer loses IQ points whenever he gets around Alex.”

A doorbell rang and Remy gave one last shake of his head at the duo before he jogged off to answer it. A few moments later he returned with a stack of pizza boxes in hand. Emily moved forward quickly, helping him get them set up on the table. Penelope looked out to where Alex and Spencer were still rolling around outside, still trying to pin one another down. Whatever they were saying to one another was muffled enough by grunts that they couldn’t understand it, to which they all admitted was probably a good thing. “Should we break them up for lunch?” She asked the room.

Remy smirked a little and went to a box, digging around inside. “Allow me, cher.” He told her with a flash of a grin. They all watched with growing amusement as Remy pulled out a pitcher and went over to the sink to fill it. A moment later he was strolling outside. He really did try to get their attention first, calling out “Lunch!” But neither one of them looked up. So, grin growing, Remy adjusted his grip and, with everyone watching on, threw at least half the pitcher of water on the two. The shouts the two let out and the way they dropped apart from one another had everyone laughing. Remy just stood there, one hand on his hip, the other holding the pitcher at his side. “Lunch is here.” He told them casually. Then he turned and headed back into the house.

From his spot on the ground, Alex turned to look at his brother. “Your husband is an ass.”

Despite himself, Spencer couldn’t help admiring said ass as the man walked into the house, a corner of his mouth quirking. “That’s something Scott would’ve done.”

“It is, isn’t it?” Alex pushed to his feet and snorted, one hand smacking at his clothes to dust himself off. The water on his shirt, he just ignored, figuring it’d dry soon enough. He lifted a hand to his mouth and swore when he came away with blood. “Damn, pidge. You split my lip.”

Spencer took the hand that was held out, needing it more than he wanted to admit to as he pulled his way up to his feet. His knee gave a particularly painful throb that had him wincing just a little as he put weight on it. “I wouldn’t have split your lip if you didn’t have this need to tackle me so frequently, Alex. Bad enough you had to pick me up, drop me on the ground and then try to kick me, but did you have to tackle me on top of it?”

“Psh.” Dusting Spencer off with a little more force than was necessary, Alex rolled his eyes. “The day I stop tackling you is the day you’ll worry about me. And I wouldn’t have dropped you if you hadn’t bit me.”

Spencer made his way into the house, his eyes twinkling slightly with amusement. “Someone I know taught me that you use every advantage available in a fight.” He tossed at Alex over his shoulder. After pulling off his wet sweater, he draped it over a box in the corner to dry, leaving him in a long sleeved shirt that was only damp in some places. Then he moved toward the table where the pizza and paper plates had been set up and everyone was congregated, gathering their food. Looking at Alex, Spencer quoted “We were always told ‘If at all possible, avoid a fight. If a fight becomes unavoidable…’”

“…den do everything possible to win. Y’r enemy aint gonna fight fair and dey aint gonna follow de same rules as y’. Y’ try to follow dose rules out in de real world and de only t’ing y’r gonna end up is dead.” Remy finished the quote. He handed a plate to Spencer with pizza on it, winking over the top of his shades. “Know dat speech. Cyke’s survival rule number twenty seven, dat one.”

Laughter came from the two Summers brothers. “Some things never change.” Alex said with a shake of his head. He looked at the others in the room and gave them all a grin. “Scott’s given that speech for years. I’ve heard all of ‘em so much I could probably recite ‘em all. And Spence, that was _not_ an invitation to do it.” He cut Spencer off even as the young genius had been opening his mouth, making everyone laugh.

The group was all settling down in random chairs or on the floor or even on boxes as they dug into their food. Spencer took the chair Remy pulled out for him, but he was surprised when he saw there were no other chairs nearby. The Cajun simply folded himself down to the ground beside his chair and leaned against Spencer's good leg. As they settled in, Emily looked over to them. “So I take it you know Scott then?” she asked Remy. “Since you recited his rule from memory and all.”

“Oh, _oui_. I’ve known Scotty and Alex dere fo’ years now, me.” Chuckling, Remy adjusted his legs, stretching them out and crossing them at the ankle. “Heard dem speeches a lot. Usually, ol’ Remy heard de tardiness speech.”

Alex and Spencer both groaned before reciting together “When I set a time for you to arrive, I expect you to be here at that time. Not five minutes later, not five seconds later. On time. There is a reason we set these times and if everyone simply showed up when they wished, nothing would ever be started on time and therefore nothing would ever be done.” The broke off as everyone laughed. Alex rolled his eyes and added “It goes on, but we’ll save you that. That’s our esteemed Eldest for you. Pompous old windbag.”

“He has the best of intentions.” Spencer defended. He couldn’t stop his little smile from slipping out, though. “Even if he does drone on.”

“This coming from the king of rambles?” Dave teased.

Heat filled Spencer's cheeks. He couldn’t even deny that and he knew it. “There’s a difference between rambles and lectures!” he said instead.

Remy reached up and patted Spencer's leg, swallowing his bite of food before telling him “It’s okay, cher. I don’t mind y’r rambles.”

Even as the ladies all said ‘aww’, Alex gagged loudly.

When the laughter settled down and everyone had had a chance to eat a little bit, Aaron was the one to finally speak up, his sharp eyes locking on Spencer. “So tell us how you guys met, Reid.” The question might’ve sounded casual to others; Spencer knew this was just the start of the ‘interrogation’ he’d been mentally preparing himself for. Honestly, his friends had held off much longer than he’d thought they would. _Time to get this done and over with_ he thought to himself. Nerves danced in his stomach and suddenly he was glad he’d already finished the small piece of pizza on his plate because food no longer sounded appealing. He stretched a little, putting his empty plate onto the table, trying to give himself just a second to gather his thoughts. He was more worried than he’d wanted to admit to Remy. Aside from Alex and Scott, these people where were the only ones whose opinions Spencer cared about.

He sat back in his seat, his hand reaching down to rest in Remy’s hair, playing idly with the ends of it. It was soothing to stroke his hand through those silky locks. The weight of Remy against his leg, the steady comfort of him right there, helped Spencer get the courage to start this conversation and answer Aaron’s question. “Actually, we met in a bar of all places. He walked in and sat down and, well, of course I 9noticed him. How could anyone not? We did the casual hello, how are you, that kind of conversation. But that was really it. We didn’t _really_ talk until the next night.”

Remy shifted a little to give Spencer better access to his hair and took up the conversation. “When I saw de _homme_ dere de next night, I had to go and talk to him again, me. He looked so, well, so sad almost. Sad and tired. So I started talking to him again. De next t’ing I know, he’s moved over closer and we’re talking and de time was just flying by. We spent hours talking dere.”

“How long have you two known one another?” Penelope asked with a smile.

The others smiled when Spencer looked at his watch, knowing him well and knowing he was doing a quick calculation. They weren’t prepared for his answer, though. “It’s already twelve thirty, so that means we’ve known each other for eleven days, fifteen hours, twenty nine minutes and…twelve seconds.”

A stunned silence fell over the house. Spencer made his shields a little stronger, not wanting to feel what the room was feeling right now. He didn’t know if he could handle that. His stomach was jumping and there was that slick feeling coating it that always came at the idea of confrontation. No matter how many years went by, Spencer never could get rid of that sick feeling that came when people were upset with him. He’d learned to better control it, to not always seek out the approval of others, at least outwardly. That didn’t stop him from feeling it inside.

In response to his emotion turmoil, Remy moved his arm, wrapping it around Spencer's leg so he could rub his hand over his shin. Across the room, Alex was sitting more at attention, his expression clearly stating that he was ready to step in and defend his brother if need be. While Alex had no problem kicking Spencer's ass over something, he was hell on anyone else who he even _thought_ might try to do it. No one gave his brothers hell but him.

“Eleven days?” Derek finally repeated. “You two have known each other for eleven days? That means that you’d known one another, what, six or seven days when you got married?”

Spencer swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded. “Yes.”

Off to the side, Spencer saw Will gather up Jack and Henry, murmuring to Aaron and JJ that he’d take the kids to go play in the front yard for a while. Everyone stayed quiet until the front door shut. As soon as it finished shutting, Derek spoke again, his voice still shocked. “What the hell, Reid? You’re not impulsive, kid. This isn’t like you. What’re you thinking?”

“You’re not thinking.” Dave said. Surprise had Spencer turning to look at the man who looked far more worried than Spencer had been prepared for. He had thought Dave would be one of the quiet ones about this. He hadn’t expected this kind of worry on his face. “Kiddo, that’s a hell of a commitment to make to someone you don’t know. I’m sorry, Remy. You seem like a nice guy and all, but…you’re just too nice, Reid. You see the good in everyone and sometimes you overlook the bad that’s there. How can you say you know this man well enough to know he’s someone you want to tie your life to after only a short time of knowing him?”

“We’re not trying to attack either one of you here.” Aaron said calmly. As always, he was the calm one. “We care about you, Reid. We just don’t want to see you be hurt.”

Looking from one to the other, Spencer knew there was love behind their words; it was written clearly on their faces. That was the only thing that kept his response as tempered as it was. It was surprising for him to realize just how offended he felt on Remy’s behalf for what his friends said despite knowing that they weren’t meaning to be insulting. “You can’t protect me from everything, guys. Life is going to hurt me sometimes. I know that all of you want to look out for me and I do appreciate that. Honestly, I do. Until you guys, the only people in my life that I had that I knew cared, that I knew I could count on, were my mom, Scott and Alex.” Pausing, he looked down at Remy, smiling at the top of the man’s head. “But this…Remy isn’t someone you need to protect me from. I know that he’s good, even if he doesn’t see that part of himself. We may not have known one another long, but that doesn’t mean we don’t know one another well.”

“I learned de hard way about keeping secrets from people close to me.” The words from Remy were low and soft, packed with emotion that drew eyes towards him. His chin had lifted slightly and there was just a hint of pride in his posture. “I kept t’ings from people b’fore, trying to protect dem and protect m’self, and I saw what it can do.” Only Alex and Spencer understood that and both gave him sympathetic looks. Remy patted Spencer's leg in acknowledgment and kept talking. “Because of dat, I’ve been more up front with Spencer den I’ve been with anyone. Ever. I won’t let t’ings like dat get in de way and ruin dis. Sure, dere’s t’ings in m’ past he don’t know yet, little t’ings. _Mais_ dat’s normal in any marriage, _oui_? Y’ learn t’ings as y’ go.”

“I’ve shared my secrets with him as well. He knows about things in my past. He knows about…about Mom. About Georgia.” Spencer saw how much that surprised them and how that confused Alex. “The other things, the things we don’t know, well…we’ve all the time in the world to learn them. For now, what I know about him is enough.”

JJ shifted on her chair, setting her plate down on the ground before leaning forward and resting her arms on her legs. “And what about work? Are the two of you prepared for work and all that entails for your marriage? It’s hard enough for people who’ve known one another for a while, who have dated and had a chance to experience it. Remy, this is going to throw you right in the middle without preparations. Are you sure you’re up for that? There’ll be times where there’ll days in a row where you won’t see him while we’re on a case. Or there’s the middle of the night phone calls dragging him from bed and off to work. There might be times were he’ll be gone for a case, get maybe a night home and then be off on another. Sometimes cases run back to back so much that it feels like we’ve barely managed to be home for weeks on end.”

Lifting his chin a little, Remy nodded. “Spencer talked about his job from de get go. I know what I’m getting in to. Dis job, it’s a part of him. I aint gonna ask him to give dat up. Being with him, it’s worth it to me. He’s worth it.” There was no doubting the sincerity in his voice. It rang true in every word. Feeling it, Spencer flushed a little at the same time as smiling. Remy tipped his head up and returned Spencer's shy smile with one of his own. It was that look they shared that cut off quite a few more comments from those around the room. The group of profilers recognized the affection in that look. They saw the way Spencer's whole demeanor softened as he looked down at the man by his legs. All of that said so much more than words.

“Then you have my support.” Aaron said suddenly. His voice was just a little lower than normal, a little thicker with an emotion that tugged at them. “None of us know what’s waiting for us or how much time we have left. We should embrace love when we find it. It’s too precious to waste and we never know when it’s going to be taken from us. You look happy, Reid. It doesn’t take a profiler to see that. As your friend, that’s all I can ask for. You have my support and, though it may not be my place to say so, my blessing as well.” The look in his eye clearly told those that knew him where his mind was at.

Those words meant more to Spencer than he had thought they would. Warmth filled him and his voice trembled a little as he said “Thank you.”

It was no real surprise when JJ smiled at him. Out of them all, Spencer had known she’d be fiercely protective and absolutely supportive. “You’ve got mine too, Spence. I’ve seen you with him today and I just, I don’t remember the last time I’ve seen you smile so honestly or openly. I’ve never seen you so absolutely comfortable with someone, so much so that you don’t even seem to have a problem touching. In fact, you seem to seek it out. That’s something I’ve never really seen you do around anyone but your brothers. Maybe you two haven’t known one another long, but it’s apparent already that Remy’s doing you a world of good. So, you’ve got my support and my blessing as well. I stand by what I said before. Welcome to the family, Remy.”

As Emily, Dave and Penelope gave their support, Spencer felt the sick feeling in his stomach fade little by little. These people, people who were so important to him, were all firmly standing on his side. They were worried, that wouldn’t just go away he knew, but they were supporting him. Respecting his decision. It meant more to him than they would ever know.

Derek was the last one to say anything. He was quiet for a long while, just looking at the two of them, saying nothing as the others all voiced their support. When the room fell quiet and all eyes drifted to him, he still said nothing at first. Finally, he seemed to get his thoughts in order. “I’m not going to pretend I’m perfectly cool with this, Reid.” Eyes locked on Spencer, he held a hand out toward Penelope, who had started to protest to his words. “No. I’m withholding my judgment on this for now. I won’t pretend I’m not going to worry about you, either. I will worry. And I’m not going to deny it. Not because I think Remy’s a bad guy or because I think you can’t handle yourself or any of those things. I know you can handle yourself and it wouldn’t really matter who it was; I’d still worry. I’m going to worry about you whether you like it or not because you’re my best friend and that’s what friends do.”

The last of Spencer's tension faded away and his smile was just a little brighter. “I can live with that.”

“Good.” The serious look on Derek’s face melted away to a grin. “Any more bombshells you two wanna drop on us, or is that all the news you’ve got? I think we’ve about had our fair share of shocks today.”

Before Spencer could answer, Remy piped up with “Just one more, _mon ami_.” He didn’t give Spencer a chance to wonder what he was talking about. The Cajun reached up, pulling of his sunglasses and putting them in his lap. He squinted and blinked a few times to clear his eyes before looking at them and letting them all clearly see the red and black orbs. There were a few shocked sounds around the room. Otherwise, they stayed quiet, simply watching him. Remy tipped his chin up once more. “Y’ got de right to know dat I’m a mutant too. It’s another t’ing dat connects Spencer and I and dat makes us understand each other better. Remy’s got de empathy, de same as Spencer does, and a charge too. Mines different dan his, though.” He reached into the pocket of his trench, pulling out a playing card and twirling it over his fingers. “I can tap into de potential energy in somet’ing turn it into kinetic energy.” Slowly the card in his hand started to glow.

Across the room, Alex snorted, deliberately breaking the moment. “Basically, the kid blows shit up. Bigger it is, bigger the boom. Blah, blah, blah.”

Remy slanted him a look and held his card, looking back and forth between the still glowing card and Alex. Spencer saw what he was doing and gave his hair a light yank. “No explosives in the house.”

And just like that, the room erupted into laughter and Spencer couldn’t help but smile. Things had gone far better than he had ever expected them to. He couldn’t believe how well all of this was going. For once in his life, things seemed to be going right. Life seemed to be going right. Spencer looked down right as Remy tipped his head up and the two shared a smile.


	8. Chapter 8

By the time night rolled around and everyone headed home, Spencer was shocked to see that most of the house had already been unpacked. It brought home to him how little stuff he really had as well as how many things they still needed to pick up. However, a lot of that would come with time. They had all they needed to live on for now and the rest they would acquire as they went. The young couple made sure to thank everyone as they left, receiving congratulations one more time. This time not only did Spencer get hugs, but Remy as well. However, Spencer was surprised that, as Derek came to say goodbye, Alex was with him. “I’m kidnapping your brother for a night.” Derek told him with a grin.

“Yeah.” Alex looked at them and gave a shudder. “I’m not sticking around while y’all break in the house. That is _so_ not something I need to hear.”

Heat filled Spencer's cheeks and Remy, Derek and Alex all laughed as the young genius hissed out “Alex!” and flushed even brighter.

Remy stepped up behind Spencer and slid his arms around his waist, pulling them close together. “Don’t y’ worry, cher. Y’r _frère_ is just jealous dat he’ll be sleeping alone on a couch tonight, dat’s all.”

There was more laughter and Alex practically raced out of the house. Derek called a goodbye and was still laughing as he shut the door behind him. All of a sudden, the little house that had been so full of noise was now silent. Spencer stood there inside of Remy’s arms, looking around their living room. The couch, chaise lounge and his overstuffed chair were all put in their new places, as was the shelf that carried both movies and books. His rarely used TV and DVD player were on the TV stand. There were even some of his pictures set out. All of it was set up so that the furniture afforded not only a view of the TV, but of the fireplace that was tucked into the corner of the room, a feature that both men had fallen in love with.

“Y’ve got some nice friends.” Remy murmured by his ear. He’d leaned in just enough to rest his chin on Spencer's shoulder as he held him. He had an inch or two on Spencer in height, so they were pretty evenly matched as they stood there. Spencer let himself just relax in Remy’s arms, his hands resting over Remy’s on his stomach. It felt comfortable; relaxing. “Thank you.” He responded. “They’re good people. And I think you made a very good impression with them.”

A light kiss was pressed against Spencer's neck, making him shiver a little. “Dat’s cause I’m irresistible.” Remy teased huskily.

“Is that so?”

“Mm.” Another kiss, this time just a little warmer, making Spencer’s shiver a little stronger. “I got y’, don’t I?”

There was no safe answer to that, so Spencer settled for making a little humming sound, his head tipping just as Remy’s lips moved over his neck, placing another kiss next to the first. The emotions in the room felt warm and sweet and just a little heavy, like a nice warm blanket wrapping around him. He felt air puff against his neck as Remy chuckled huskily right against his skin. “Do I got y’, Spencer? Hm?”

So much more was being asked with that question than just simple words. Spencer knew that. He knew what Remy was asking him right now. Since their wedding night, which neither of them remembered completely, the most sexual that they’d become was last night before Alex had interrupted them. That was the most they’d done beyond a kiss or so and it had ignited something in the both of them that had been simmering ever since. Spencer knew what he wanted; he knew he wanted to be with this man. What held him back now wasn’t lack of want—it was fear. What it they did this and Remy wasn’t, well, wasn’t satisfied by him? He knew he wasn’t exactly the most attractive person. _Too skinny, too lanky, too awkward and nervous_. What if he tried at this and just….oh, he didn’t know if he could handle that look on Remy’s face, seeing in his eyes that he wasn’t enough. He didn’t know if he could handle that!

The arms around him shifted and Spencer found himself turned around and Remy was looking at him with such concern on his face. “Spencer? Don’t want y’ afraid of me, cher.” One of Remy’s hands came up, tucking a strand of Spencer's hair behind his ear, his eyes staying locked on Spencer the whole time. “I don’t want y’ feeling like y’ have to do dis and I don’t want y’ doing it if y’r afraid.”

“No!” The word burst out of Spencer and he closed his eyes, embarrassment filling him. “I’m not afraid of you and I…I do want to, to do this. Really. I just…” His cheeks flamed and he opened his eyes, tipping his head down and looking off to the side, unable to look at him. “I don’t really, you know, have a lot of experience in, in things like this. I, I don’t…I mean, I know I’m not that…what if I’m not…” Frustrated, he trailed off, words failing him. Just when he needed them the most, words vanished and he couldn’t seem to even stammer out a decent sentence.

He didn’t have to say it, though. What he’d said combined with the emotions swirling in him were enough to let Remy know what was going on here. Everything about the Cajun softened. He pulled Spencer just a little closer. With one hand he cupped his chin, tipping his head up. “Spencer, look at me, cher. _S’il tu plait_?”

Spencer bit his lip and forced himself to lift his eyes and look at Remy. The man was looking at him with a look so intent and so open that Spencer found he couldn’t look away. “It don’t matter to me if y’ don’t have a lot of experience. Dat just means dat I get de joy of showing y’ de passion dat can be found in y’. And don’t y’ doubt fo’ one minute dat I’m attracted to y’. Maybe y’ won’t believe de words, _mais_ I’ll show y’, if y’ let me.” The fingers on Spencer's chin shifted, moving to stroke over his cheek, leaving a trail of heat in their path. “Y’r so _beau, mon cher_. S’ very _beau_. Will y’ let me show y’?”

Lost in Remy’s eyes, it was so easy to say the one word he’d been afraid to say before. “Yes.”

Remy leaned in, brushing a whisper soft kiss over Spencer's lips. Then he pulled back, taking his hand in his. They stopped only long enough to lock the front door and then Spencer let himself be led back to the bedroom. Never had a walk seemed so long and yet so short at the same time. It seemed to take forever and yet suddenly they were there, standing right beside the bed while a hand was in Spencer's hair, threading through it, and he was pulled in close for a kiss that seemed to blank out his mind. He forgot what he’d been thinking about as they came down; all his attention was on the soft lips against his. That warm, slightly heavy feeling was back against his shields, wrapping around him and he sighed into it, letting his body slip into Remy’s embrace.

He was nervous and just a touch scared and, above all, excited. So very, very excited. He couldn’t remember a time he had ever _wanted_ like this. No one had ever consumed his senses the way that Remy was right now. So much so that Spencer didn’t even notice the man had shrugged out of his over shirt until he lifted his arms to twine them around Remy’s neck and felt just a bit more skin than before. They broke their kiss, eyes locking together again, and something in the bottom of Spencer's stomach fluttered at the obvious lust on Remy’s face. He’d been wanted before, but never like this. There was no edge of anger to this lust; nothing else was twined with it but that affection he was coming to feel more and more from Remy. This, this was new ground for Spencer, but it was ground he was more than willing to cover.

Remy’s hands slid over his hips, pulling his ever present button down from the tops of his slacks. Then those hands were slipping under the edge to settle on Spencer's hips once more, skin against skin, and Spencer swore he felt the heat of them like fire against his skin. He couldn’t help how he leaned in just a little, his hands threading in Remy’s hair. The older man’s hands curled to Spencer's back, tracing over his skin, and Spencer was pulled in once more and his mouth captured in another kiss, their bodies pressing flush against one another in a way that had Spencer moaning into the kiss.

They broke apart enough that Remy’s hands could slip around toward the front, pulling out of Spencer's shirt so that he could lift them to the buttons on the front. He started undoing them, leaning in a little to nip at Spencer's bottom lip as he did. “Y’ look so _bel, mon mari_.” He murmured against Spencer's lips. “All flushed and warm.” His lips moved, traveling over Spencer's jawline, teasing him with little licks and nips that had Spencer's heart pounding. He was quickly losing the ability to think of anything beyond the man that was in front of him.

That was what Remy was aiming for. He knew Spencer was shy about his appearance; it showed in the way he dressed himself and the way he carried himself around others. Spencer's nerves were easy for Remy to feel, running right on the edge of everything else, just barely there. It wouldn’t take much for them to come racing forward and Remy wanted to prevent that from happening. He wanted to make this as beautiful as possible for the other man; and if there was one thing Remy definitely knew well, it was sex. He put his skills to use, tasting and teasing over Spencer's neck, keeping him distracted as he finally got the man’s shirt unbuttoned and slipped it off his shoulders. Almost immediately he put his hands back on Spencer's hips, sliding up and over all that smooth, smooth skin, delighting in the way that Spencer arched under his touch. Lifting his head, Remy looked at the flushed face and felt his heart constrict a little. “Why don’t y’ climb up on de bed, cher?” He suggested huskily.

Those nerves danced in Spencer's eyes once more, but the man didn’t hesitate. He paused and pulled off his shoes, setting them aside before climbing up into the bed. His eyes were heavy lidded as he looked over to Remy. _Dieu, does he even realize how he looks_? Even as he thought it, Remy knew the answer. No. Spencer had absolutely no idea and that was half his charm. He was so blind to his own good looks. But as he stretched out on their bed, leaning back and resting his weight on his arms, that heavy gaze locking on Remy, it took everything the Cajun had not to forget himself and simply dive in and start tasting all that pale skin.

Spencer felt Remy’s gaze on him, felt the appreciation, and his unconsciously preened under it, throwing his shoulders back just a little. There was a heat to Remy’s gaze that made him feel more wanted than he’d ever felt before. Quietly he watched as Remy took hold of his tank, pulling it up and over his head before tossing it to the floor. Spencer couldn’t help the little hum in the back of his throat. Remy had a body made to be appreciated. He was sinfully gorgeous. Spencer's eyes traced the dips and lines in that well defined chest and stomach. As Remy shifted to pull off his own shoes, Spencer's eyes traveled over the curve of his back. There were scars just faintly visible there, a motley of them that didn’t detract from the appeal of the man at all. Faint memories from their wedding night swelled up; memories of running his hands over those scars, of tasting them and feeling the muscles underneath quiver. Then thought faded away once more as Remy straightened back up and started to climb onto the bed, moving with all the grace of a cat.

He climbed right up to Spencer , straddling his slender hips, and Spencer's breath caught in his throat. There was no chance for him to get it back, either. Remy’s lips were on his and the man stole what little breath Spencer had. Spencer didn’t care. Without hesitation he gave himself over to the sensations, letting the physical and the emotional wrap around him, chasing away any chance of nerves he might’ve had. There was only him and Remy and that heat that was growing between them with each kiss, each touch, each glide of hand over skin. Spencer found himself lying back, Remy stretched over him, and the feel of that hot, hard body over his was Heaven. His hands came up of their own accord to run over the skin he’d been admiring. Skin he only vaguely remembered touching before. He wanted to replace those hazy, drunken memories with fresh ones. Ones he would never forget.

Remy broke their kiss to start tasting along Spencer's skin. Teeth tugged at the bottom of his ear, making a low hum start in Spencer's throat. When those teeth moved to close over the skin at the top of his neck, right at his jawline, he reflexively dug his nails in to where he was clutching at Remy’s sides. Remy continued those little nips and kisses down over Spencer's neck, his collarbone, wringing gasps and soft sounds of pleasure from him. “Y’ve got de softest skin.” Remy purred against his skin. His mouth went lower and he scraped his teeth across Spencer's nipple. Spencer’s hands clutched for a moment at Remy’s back.

It was one of the hottest things that Remy had ever seen, to watch Spencer come to life under his hands. The usually sweet and shy doctor was replaced with this writhing, moaning, sexual being. Remy couldn’t get enough of touching him, loving the sounds he made, the expressions that twisted his face. Somewhere along the line, all of Spencer's nerves seemed to have vanished. Remy felt nothing but heat and lust from the man. Even when he continued down and started to strip Spencer out of his clothes. The young man was so lost in their heat that he didn’t protest, instead actually helping to kick his slacks out of the way. His eyes were on Remy’s face and there was so much trust in those electric orbs that it left Remy stunned. When was the last time someone had trusted him so much? Known all that Spencer knew about him and yet still trusted him? He couldn’t think of anyone. This much trust was so foreign to him. In that moment, Remy knew he’d do anything, absolutely anything, to make sure that he never broke that trust, never took that look out of Spencer's eyes.

Spencer shivered under the heat and intensity of Remy’s expression. In the low light from the lamp, red and black eyes seemed to glow at him, capturing him, consuming him. As those eyes traced over him, Spencer swore they left a trail of heat. It was a strange sensation for Spencer to not feel awkward in his nudity. He was not comfortable with his body and how it looked, nor was he confident in it. Yet who could feel anything but desirable when lying there with someone looking at them that way? He felt like a buffet the man was itching to devour.

“Y’ look like a fallen angel, stretched out dat way. All dat pale, smooth skin and dat natural beauty.” Remy murmured huskily, eyes still moving over Spencer. “I aint got a clue how a demon-chile like _moi_ got lucky enough to get his very own angel, _mais_ I aint strong enough to give y’ up.”

The compliment had Spencer flushing even as the rest of Remy’s words made him ache inside. He knew there was no point in arguing the ‘demon-child’ part of things. Remy had heard that far too often for simple words to take it away. Still, Spencer couldn’t stop the instant defense that sprang to his lips. “You’re no demon child, Remy.” Before Remy could try to argue back with him, Spencer shifted to prop himself up on his elbows, his eyes running down the man’s lean frame and back up until their eyes were locked. “And you just try to give me up. I won’t let you go without a fight.”

Humor mixed in with the lust in Remy’s eyes. A low, husky laugh was pulled from him. “Y’know, I t’ink y’ just might, y’ little firecracker.”

Spencer just smirked. He’d meant just what he said. Even in just this short little time, so much had built between the two of them, and Spencer refused to let it go without a fight. “I’ve never met anyone who makes me feel the things that you do, Remy. I’m not willing to just let that go. Maybe it’s selfish, but I want it. For once, I want what makes me happy, not what makes anyone else happy. I don’t care if everyone in the world has told you that you’re a devil child or that you don’t deserve something like this, like us. If you’re a devil, you’re my devil, and I’m not letting go.”

The emotion that passed over Remy came and went so quickly that Spencer didn’t have time to identify it. But he felt the upsurge in lust and only had a second to brace himself before Remy practically threw himself forward and Spencer found himself pinned to the bed by Remy’s body while he was thoroughly kissed.

Spencer's hands moved quickly, reaching down to try and strip Remy out of the last of his clothes. With Remy’s help they managed to get his jeans and boxers off, while only briefly having to break their kiss. Their lust grew stronger until their hands were moving almost frantically over one another, stoking that fire higher and higher. Without breaking fully apart, Remy got into the nightstand drawer and brought out a bottle of lube and a condom, tossing them onto the bed beside them. He quickly got the lube open and Spencer encouraged him by spreading his legs, opening himself up in a way that had Remy groaning and biting at his lip. In no time, Spencer felt a cool, slick finger against him, sliding _in_ him. Their passion was high enough that even the burn that came felt good. When two fingers slid in, his whole body shuddered.

Remy’s hand suddenly froze and the man pulled his head back to lock eyes with his partner. “Spencer…” The man croaked out.

Lust bright eyes locked on Remy’s face and the older man couldn’t look away. Colors were dancing in Spencer's eyes, sparking like little flashes of electricity; blues and pinks and purples. A fireworks show right there in Spencer's eyes. It pushed away any other thoughts. Later, he would talk to his lover about it. Later, he would ask Spencer about the scars he could feel with his fingers. Right now, this was about passion.

Spencer was too lost to pay attention to that little pause. He felt Remy stop and then those fingers were moving, sliding in and out of him, scissoring to stretch his body until Spencer started to push against them and it was all he could focus on. He was filled with the sensations Remy was creating in him, with the ones he felt coming from Remy, and all he knew was that he wanted more of it. He wanted to never stop feeling this good.

He felt Remy pull his fingers free and he made his eyes focus, locking on the face above his, needing to see him for this part of things. His arms came up to twine around Remy’s neck while the man lined their bodies up. Remy murmured something to him, the words said low and in Cajun, and then he was pressing forward and in. Spencer's body stretched against the intruder, the burn from before coming back tenfold. He forced his muscles to relax as best as he could even as his hands gripped tightly to Remy’s shoulders. Oh, God! One of Remy’s hands stroked soothingly over his flank and soft, reassuring words were whispered. Inch by inch he pushed in until Spencer swore his body was stretched to the limit. By the time Remy was fully seated, both of them wore a light sheen of sweat and they were breathing raggedly. Still, Remy didn’t move, didn’t shift at all, only continued to stroke over Spencer's skin soothingly while he waited for him to adjust.

The pain faded away, leaving behind a feeling of fullness. Spencer gave a testing little roll of his hips and was rewarded when Remy’s head dropped a little and a harsh breath was tore from him. “Cher…”

Spencer couldn’t find his words. He couldn’t make his brain function enough to say anything, so he spoke with his body instead. Once more he rolled his hips. This time, Remy couldn’t stop the small thrust he gave in response. The groan that Spencer gave, obviously one of passion and not pain, was all the further encouragement that Remy needed. He drew back and pushed back in, starting out with slow, short thrusts that drew needy sounds from Spencer. Gradually he increased his speed, pulling almost all the way out and pushing back in, swiveling his hips to get just that right angle that had Spencer's noises growing louder.

Their lust echoed back and forth to one another, taking them higher and higher. It was like nothing either had ever felt before. They’d never experienced emotions, passion, so intense. It was like a tidal wave, dragging them along with it, taking them higher and higher until they swore they were drowning under it all. Spencer crashed first, his whole body arching and his hands clenching tight on Remy’s biceps as that wave of passion finally took him under. The force of his orgasm, the clench of those muscles in that already tight channel, it was all too much for Remy. He gave a cry of his own, following right after him.

Two bodies collapsed, limbs still twined together, chests heaving as they tried to draw in air. They clung to one another as the only anchors at the end of this storm while reality slowly returned around them.

CXCX

When Spencer stepped out of his shower the next morning, he was humming lightly to himself. He dried himself off and pulled on his pajama pants, not bothering to even toss a shirt on. He was still tired, but in a good sort of way. It had been a wonderful night. That made him smirk a little while he grabbed his robe off the back hook of the door. Yes, definitely a wonderful night. Twice Remy had woken him up after they’d fallen asleep that first time. Each time it had been well worth the loss in sleep. Now, though he had nothing to do today and could have slept in, his internal alarm had told him it was time to get up and so he had gone to take his shower, after making sure a pot of coffee was on to brew.

Spencer had just finished pulling on his robe and was preparing his cup of coffee when he happened to look up and look out the window in their new kitchen, eyes moving to the backyard. What he saw there had him freezing in place. Then he melted, a little half grin quirking at his lips. Finishing preparing his cup, he made his way over to the sliding glass door that led to the backyard. Very carefully he slid it open just enough that he could stand in the doorway and lean one shoulder against the frame while he watched the scene in front of him.

Out in the backyard was Remy, dressed down to only a pair of tight workout pants. Even his feet were bare in the grass. In his hands he held a long staff. _A Bo_ his brain supplied absently. It looked like Remy was running through some katas with the staff, his body twisting and turning and this way and that, flowing through the movements like liquid. It was a beautiful and stunning sight to watch. Faster and faster the man moved, his twists and turns becoming more elaborate, his staff flashing through the air. There was a light sheen of sweat on his skin and Spencer found he couldn’t look away. It was beautiful and deadly all at the same time. Spencer lost track of time as he watched him, barely remembering to drink his coffee down before it got cold.

After a while the movements slowed once more until Remy finally straightened back out, one tip of the Bo touching the ground. He lifted his face and smiled and Spencer realized the man had known he’d been there the entire time. “Enjoy de show, _mon mari_?”

What was the point of denying it? Spencer took a drink off his lukewarm coffee and smiled back. “Immensely.”

“Want to learn?”

That question floored Spencer. He couldn’t stop himself from staring, eyebrows winging upwards. Him? Learn to do something like that? “You do realize who you’re asking, correct?”

Remy’s smile grew a little. “ _Oui_.”

“I understand that you’ve never seen me in a situation that might show it, but I do recall warning you once that I am not exactly the most…graceful of people.” He eyed the staff, no longer seeing the beauty he’d seen before. Now he eyed it as what it was, a weapon. And it was one that could hurt. “With my luck, I’d somehow manage to split my head open.”

Smoky laughter echoed on the still morning air. “I aint gonna let y’ split dat pretty head of y’rs open, Spencer. Consider dis a bit of physical therapy fo’ y’r knee. Now, c’mere.”

At first Spencer could only stare at him. This was a big mistake. He just knew this was a big mistake. So why was he setting his cup down on the table behind him and walking outside? “You’re going to regret this when one of us gets injured.” He felt the need to warn his partner.

“Dis Cajun can take a lil pain, cher.” That was thrown out with a wink that made Spencer laugh.

And so that was how Spencer found himself standing in his backyard and seven thirty in the morning, his robe tossed onto the back porch, following Remy’s instructions as the man walked him through a basic series of movements, trying his hardest not to trip over his own feet and somehow having more fun than he had thought he would. It was only the sound of his cell phone ringing in his robe pocket that stopped them both. Spencer didn’t hesitate to jog over, recognizing that ringtone and knowing who it was. He also knew she wouldn’t be calling right now unless it was important. “Reid.” He answered.

“Hey, Spence. I’m so sorry to interrupt your first day in your new house.” JJ said apologetically. “And I hate to do this, but your vacation’s been cut a little short. We’ve got a bad one and we need all hands on deck. I’ve got to call everyone in. We need to get moving fast, so head straight to the jet and we’ll brief there.”

“Okay, I’m on my way.”

Remy was already by him by the time he hung up his phone. “Work?” he asked. When Spencer nodded, the older man leaned in and pressed a kiss to his lips. “Go, get dressed. Sounds like y’ need to hurry.”

Seven minutes later Spencer was adjusting his tie and heading out of the bedroom, his messenger bag on and go bag in his free hand. He found Remy waiting for him, a jacket and shoes on, two travel mugs in his hands. He handed one to Spencer before heading toward the door. “Y’ tell Remy where to go and I’ll drop y’ off.” He said as they made their way out the front door. “Dat way I can keep de car and maybe pick up a few t’ings, like some food. Our cupboards are almost bare.”

Spencer couldn’t help but smile. It felt so…domestic. He and Remy even chatted the whole way to the jet about things they needed for the house and Remy asked him random questions, like what kinds of foods he didn’t like to eat so that he knew what not to buy at the store.

When they pulled up at the airstrip, Remy put the car in park and turned toward Spencer. Then he cupped his face, pulling him in for a long, warm kiss that had them both breathing a little heavy when they broke apart. “Y’ come home safe, y’ hear me?” Remy murmured in a low voice. “Y’ come home safe to me.”

“I’ll do my best.” Spencer promised. It was the best promise he could give and they both knew it.

Taking one more kiss, Remy let go and sat back. There was a hint of worry in his eyes, but a smile was on his lips. “Bring me somet’ing back, yeah?”

As he’d wanted, his comment made Spencer smile. The young genius shook his head as he unbuckled. “Like what? I don’t even know where we’re going yet.”

“Don’t know. Somet’ing shiny, maybe? Or somet’ing dat makes noise.” Grinning, Remy shrugged. “Logan says I’m like an _enfant_. If it’s shiny, amusing, or makes noise, den I generally want it.”

Spencer was laughing as he climbed out of the car. That humor kept a smile on his lips as he gave one last wave and then turned to head onto the jet and back to work.


	9. Chapter 9

Two days was all it took to solve their case. Two days in which the team hunted down a cannibalistic Unsub through the cold forests around a small town in Colorado. It was a difficult case for Spencer; not just because he was leaving someone at home for the first time, though that was proving harder than he had thought it would be, but because it was his first case back in two weeks. This was the ultimate test to see if he’d managed to repair his shields back to their former strength. The team knew part of the reason he’d taken that vacation was to get that part of him back to normal and so they watched him on this case, making sure that they could be there if he needed them. But he made it through. The emotions hit him just a little harder than normal, yet it wasn’t anything that he couldn’t handle. If anything, it helped him finish that last little bit of strengthening to his shields that he’d needed to do. It also helped that he talked to Remy that night as he was lying in the empty hotel bed and the next day while he’d taken his lunch break. Something about knowing he had the man to call on made things just a little easier.

When they were on the jet and finally flying back home, Spencer was curled up in his seat, fiddling with the gift in his lap that he’d picked up for Remy. He’d gotten it from the gift shop at the hotel. It wasn’t much and it wasn’t the fanciest present. Still, he had a feeling it would make Remy smile and that was what he wanted.

“What’ve you got there?” JJ asked, slipping into the seat across from him.

Spencer hooked his finger on the cord on the top and held his hand up, showing her the small blown glass wind chime. The brightly colored pieces of glass caught even the low light from the jet and sent patterns dancing on the table by them. “Oh!” JJ exclaimed. “Spence, it’s so pretty! Where’d you get that?”

He carefully set it back in the box it came in, making sure to arrange it the way the man had showed him. “I got this from the hotel gift shop. The man in there said it was made by a local artist and he likes to put the man’s stuff in his shop to try and get them sold for him. There were some beautiful pieces. He gave me the artist’s card just in case there was anything else I wanted.” He looked back up at her, smiling shyly. “I don’t know, it kind of made me think of Remy.”

JJ grinned. “Aww. You’re so sweet. I just knew you’d be the type to spoil your spouse.”

“It’s easy enough to do. He deserves it.” Looking down at his lap, Spencer sighed a little. With JJ of all people, he could open up a little. “No one else ever has, really. He’s so used to having nothing, to having no one, that he’s easily pleased by the smallest things.”

All of a sudden, Derek called out their names, catching their attention. The two turned toward the front of the jet where the others were sitting together. Derek flashed him a grin. “Hey, we’re gonna get together at the bar when we land. You guys up for joining?”

“Not me.” JJ smiled at them. “I’ve got two people I’m eager to get home to. No offense, guys.”

“What about you, Reid? Call your old man up and see if he’ll meet up with us. Give us a chance to visit with him a bit.”

The idea held appeal. Not because he wanted to go out and drink. However, the idea of giving his friends and Remy a chance to start to get to know one another better, _that_ was appealing. “I’ll call and see what he’s doing.”

“Great. I’ll give you a ride there and he can just meet us. Hey, if Alex is still around, tell him to come too. So long as you two can behave. I don’t feel like being eighty-sixed or posting bail tonight.”

The taunt from his best friend had Spencer shooting the man a glare before settling back in his seat and pulling out his phone. He dialed the number for Remy’s cell and waited, not realizing he was already smiling. The others were watching him and they saw the way he softened, that little half grin in place. That smile grew when Remy answered. “ _Bonsoir, mon mari_. Did somet’ing come up?” Earlier Spencer had called to let him know they were on their way home and that Derek had offered to drive him home from the airstrip.

“Nothing serious.” Spencer reassured him. “I’m under orders to call and see if you and Alex would like to meet up with all of us at the bar once we land. Apparently most of the team is meeting up for a few drinks to unwind.”

Laughter came over the line. “Sounds like fun to me. Gonna have to keep m’ eye on y’, though. De last time we went out drinking together, we came back married.”

“Yes, well, I think that worked out rather splendidly.” Spencer quipped.

It earned him another laugh. “ _Oui_ , it did, cher. Where at and when? I’ll be dere.”

After getting the location from Derek, he passed the information to Remy as well as the time he estimated they’d be there.  No sooner had they hung up than his phone started to buzz. Not from a call this time; a text. Spencer furrowed his brows before seeing who it was from. Then he couldn’t help but smile. He should have figured. Generally only one person text him – Scott. He quickly opened the message up.

**You’ve been avoiding me – Scott.**

Amusement sparked on Spencer's face. With everyone else talking—JJ had moved back with the others while Spencer was on the phone—he had no problems with taking a bit of time to text with his brother.

**Would I do that? – Spencer**

**Yes – Scott**

**You’re keeping something from me – Scott**

That made Spencer snort a little to himself. He’d known Scott would know something was up. Usually Spencer called at least once a week unless busy with cases, just to check in with him. He hadn’t called him since before the wedding because he knew that Scott would hear something in his voice and either pry it out of him or decide to make an impromptu trip up here. Spencer was going to work to keep his promise to Remy that they wouldn’t have to tell anyone at the mansion before he was ready. Granted, Alex knew, and it was going to be amazing if Alex could keep this a secret, but Spencer wasn’t going to push Remy into the rest of this. At the same time, he wasn’t going to lie to his brother either. Not that it would do him any good.

**I am. So? – Spencer**

**You’re a shit. Are you in trouble? – Scott**

Go figure that would be Scott’s first concern. Then again, with all their lifestyles—and with his personal track record—it was a reasonable conclusion to jump to.

**Not in the least. Are you? – Spencer**

**Not yet. But the day is young – Scott**

**If you’re not in trouble why can’t you tell me? – Scott**

Spencer had to word this very, very carefully. He took a second to think about what he wanted to say before he typed his reply.

**It’s not mine to tell – Spencer**

**I promise, nothing bad is going on. Trust me? – Spencer**

It warmed his heart when Scott’s reply came back almost instantly. That meant there’d been no hesitation before he typed **Always – Scott**. To know that Scott had that much faith in him, well, it was a damn good feeling. Spencer knew that biologically, the Colonel was his father, and William was who the world considered his father. But in his heart? The man who had raised him was Scott. When Spencer thought of the paternal figure in his life, the person who had the most impact, the one whose respect and approval he had always sought out, it was always Scott.

Spencer was pulled from his thoughts by the announcement that they were coming in for a landing. Putting away his phone, he settled back and buckled in, eyes drifting toward the window. In just a short time he would see Remy again. They’d only been apart for two days yet Spencer had gotten used to him being there day and night. Especially night. The idea of being back in their bed, in Remy’s arms, had Spencer's lips curving in a small, secret smile.

CXCX

At a large table toward the back of the bar/club, Remy and Alex sat nursing their beers, munching of a platter of fries as they waited for the others to arrive. According to Spencer's estimation, they should be arriving in the next five to ten minutes. Alex tried to bet a twenty that they’d arrive in that five minute window. Remy just cocked a brow at him and shook his head. “Y’ t’ink I’m stupid, huh? Dat _homme_ knows his numbers. He probably figured de whole t’ing out in his head in bout five seconds. When it comes to somet’ing like dat, Remy aint dumb enough to bet against Spencer.”

Alex took a swig off his beer, his head cocked as he looked at Remy. “Happy he’s almost home?”

“ _Oui_.” Remy didn’t even bother to deny it. His confirmation was heartfelt. “Got used to having him dere s’ much. Felt kind of…empty, y’ know?”

“I still can’t believe it, Remy. I never thought I’d see the day where you’d settle down, get all domestic and shit.” Shaking his head, Alex snagged a fry. “I mean, don’t take it the wrong way, but you’re practically playing the little housewife here. It’s hard as hell to picture the Ragin’ Cajun so domesticated. You used to live for the next thrill.”

The words didn’t offend Remy. He knew the truth of them. Hell, anyone who had known him would know the truth of those words. Or, anyone who knew him before Antarctica. “I still live fo’ de next thrill.” Remy said slowly. He was trying to think about his words as he said them, hoping to manage to say them right. “De thrills are just…different. I don’t need de fights no more. B’fore, dey always made me feel so, so alive. _Merde_ , dat rush y’ get when y’ jump in battle. When it’s just y’ and y’r wits and y’ don’t know if de next blow is gonna be de last. If mebbe dis time y’ aint gonna move fast enough or think fast enough and y’r gonna be done. It’s a rush. _Dieu_ , it made me feel so alive. Sometimes dat was de only time Remy felt alive.”

Pausing, Remy took a drink off his beer, looking down at it when he was done. He didn’t know that his expression softened with his next words. “Now? Now I look at Spencer and he smiles at me with dat little shy half smile and m’ heart speeds up. I say somet’ing and get dat laugh outta him, dat one dat has de almost childlike sound to it, and I smile. Y’ know, I always been somet’ing else. Someone else. _Le Diable Blanc_ , Jean-Luc’s boy, a t’ief, Gambit, M. Essex’s property, Scotty’s t’ief, Rogue’s toy. With Spencer, I may be Spencer's husband, but dat’s not what he sees when he looks at me. He looks at me and he just seems Remy. And Remy’s all I got to be.”

Alex could only stare for a moment. His mind was processing everything Remy said while he stared at the man, amazed that he’d said so much. “I’ve never heard you be so open.”

“Remy’s learning not to care no more bout what everyone t’inks. Dis is me, like it or not. I lived a life of secrets, me. What’d it get me? Left alone on de ice.” And anymore, he was realizing that there was only one person he felt the need to impress and that person already liked him for who he was. A sudden shrug and a cocky grin put Remy back to his usual amused, slightly smug look. “Plus, y’r family now, _mon frère._ Figure y’r stuck with dis Cajun, one way or another, _non_?”

Something tugged at the edges of Remy’s mind and he tipped his head up, looking instinctively across the room. Even as he did, a familiar warmth caught him and he knew what he’d find. “Dey’re here.” He said just as the door to the bar opened and the BAU team walked in. Dave and Emily came first, chatting and laughing. Following directly behind them were Derek and Penelope, the two of them grinning at something Derek was saying. Last, but definitely not least, came Spencer. Remy’s eyes locked on the man and his smile grew. Then he saw Spencer's face and his smile faded a little. There was just a hint of a pinched look at the edges of his eyes and a slight tenseness to his body. The eyes that sought him out and finally settled on him seemed just a tad over bright.

Instinctively Remy rose, not really paying attention as Alex stood as well and gestured everyone over to the table. Behind his sunglasses, Remy only had eyes for one. Even as he greeted the others, his attention was on Spencer. He didn’t think about it, moving on instinct as he stepped back from his chair and held his hands out. Spencer surprised him by not taking his hands, but simply stepping right into his arms. Easily Remy adjusted and he wrapped Spencer in a hug, sighing at the feel of having this man in his arms again, at the feel of the arms that came around his waist. Everything just felt a little better. This close, Remy could also feel Spencer's emotions better and he could feel the edge of tiredness and a little pain that was almost completely overshadowed by a sensation of relief and contentment and happiness. Those last three had come the instant Remy’s arms had closed around him. The idea that he could do that for the man had Remy’s heart swelling a little. He turned his head in, brushing a kiss over Spencer's cheek. “Welcome home, cher.”

“It’s good to be home.” Spencer murmured back to him.

Remy nuzzled at his cheek, getting Spencer’s head to turn just enough that he could lean in and take his lips. Almost the instant he did, catcalls and gagging sounds came from the table. The two broke apart, Remy laughing and Spencer hiding his blushing face against Remy’s neck.

“Don’t let us stop you!” Penelope grinned at them. “You two are fueling my fantasies for at _least_ a month.”

For a moment Remy contemplated before deciding he couldn’t resist. His grin grew a little and he tipped his shades down to wink at her. “Is dat all? T’ink we can do better’n dat. Let’s go dance, Spencer! We’ll give de _femme_ at least another few months of fantasies.”

Spencer lifted his face, cheeks still delightfully pink, and shook his head. “Oh, no. I’ve had nowhere near enough alcohol for that.”

Below them, Alex scoffed. “Spence? Dance? Listen, we’d like to keep the injury list down to a minimum tonight.”

That was the perfect motivation. Spencer shot an offended look down at his brother and Remy shamelessly took advantage of that. He started tugging on Spencer, pulling him out toward the floor where the others were dancing. “Come on, cher! Let’s show y’r _frère_ dat he don’t know what he’s talking about!”

Those at the table watched with amusement as Spencer struggled slightly against Remy’s hold, losing completely. The Cajun dragged him right out into the mix and gave him no chance to try and escape. Penelope cheered for them when Spencer gave in and let Remy’s hands guide him. Derek rolled his eyes but he couldn’t keep from smiling. He had to admit, Remy sure as hell seemed to make Spencer happy. “I can’t believe he got Reid out there to dance.”

“And look at them _move_.” Penelope said with a happy little sigh. Her eyes were locked on the two men that were completely ignoring the crowd around them. “Who knew Reid could actually dance?”

Emily stole one of the fries from Alex’s basket, grinning at him when he gave a mock glare. Then she turned her eyes back to the couple on the floor. Spencer's arms were around Remy’s neck and Remy had his hands on Spencer's hips, guiding him through the motions. Occasionally you could see Spencer stumble a little but Remy was always there to straighten him out. “I think it’s all in who leads.” She told her friend with a laugh. “But _I_ can’t believe he looks like he’s actually having fun doing it!”

Leaning back in his seat, Alex took a pull off his beer, shaking his head a little. “He’s not as boring as he comes off most the time. It takes a bit, but you can get him to let his hair down and have fun once in a while. He just typically…doesn’t.” A byproduct, Alex knew, of growing up in an environment where he’d had to be more adult than child and where staying silent and out of sight had been the code. But he was definitely ‘letting his hair down’ now. There was a wide grin on his face as he and Remy danced. Alex saw as Spencer leaned in, saying something in Remy’s ear. Whatever Remy’s response was, it had Spencer throwing his head back and laughing.

Dave came walking back over to the table then, having escaped to grab a round of drinks for everyone. He was just passing them around when the song ended and Spencer and Remy made their way back to the table, ignoring the new song that started up. There was a slight flush to Spencer's cheeks and he was smiling. Remy was smiling as well, happy with the results of his plan. He’d wanted to make Spencer smile and chase some of those shadows back and he’d managed just that. The two wound their way through the crowd and came back to the table. Just to make the man laugh, Remy took his seat and gave Spencer no time to sit in a chair beside him, instead hooking a hand on his waist and toppling the man into his lap. It had the wonderful side effect of having Spencer's arms fling around Remy’s neck to hold on so that he wouldn’t fall.

Laughter was bright on Spencer's face when he gave Remy a mock glare. “Do you mind?”

“Not at all.” Remy responded cheekily.

“There is a perfectly good seat right there next to you.”

Penelope and Emily almost fell over one another to pull the chair away. “No there isn’t!” Penelope told him.

Color rode high in Spencer's cheeks as he looked out at his team, trying to shift a little and gain some semblance of decorum despite being sprawled on Remy’s lap. “You two are not helping matters.”

“Sure we are.” Emily countered. Her grin was wide and happy. “We’ve never seen you like this before, Dr. Reid. It’s nice to see you letting go and having fun just like the rest of us. It’s rare enough that we’re going to encourage it while it happens.”

“Though isn’t it usually the wife that sits on the husband’s lap?” Alex asked impishly. He took a drink off his beer before grinning at them. “I mean, you are Dr. and Mr. Reid, right? So it looks like you two have this backwards.”

Instead of giving in to Alex’s teasing, Remy rolled with it, flashing a grin of his own. In a move so fluid it startled the others, Remy twisted and deposited Spencer into the chair before sliding onto the man’s lap. Spencer took it all with a laugh and a head shake, his cheeks still bright with his blush. However, he did let his arms wrap around Remy’s waist, holding him loosely while Remy grinned cheekily at Alex. “Dat better fo’ y’, _mon frère_?”

“It’s fine for me!” Penelope joked. Before either man could say a word, she had her phone out and snapped a picture of them. Spencer immediately tried to stretch out to take her phone from her. Remy grinned and put a hand on Spencer's chest, holding him back against the chair. “Let me see dat, cher.” He asked the woman. When she spun it around, Remy slid his glasses down just enough to take a look. “Dat’s a _bon_ picture right dere. Y’ send dat to Remy?”

“Sure. Here, just put your number in and send it.” She handed her phone over and Remy took it one handed, still keeping Spencer back with his other hand as he typed in his number and saved it to her phone before sending the picture and handing her the phone back. “Dere y’ go. And now y’ got Remy’s number too. We ought to get together some time. Spencer says y’ like to shop and dis one here aint one fo’ shopping dat much, so I gotta find me a new shopping partner.”

As the two started to talk, Spencer resigned himself to their seating arrangement and sat back in his seat, leaving one arm loosely around Remy’s waist while reaching out with his other hand for his drink. He took a sip, looking over to Alex. “So how long are you planning on staying around for?”

“Looking to get rid of me already, pidge?” Raising an eyebrow, Alex smirked at him, enjoying the way Spencer suddenly flushed and grew flustered. Before his baby brother could try to correct himself, Alex laughed and waved a hand. “Naw, I’m kidding. I actually have a plane to catch out tonight. Got a few things on the other coast to take care of. But I’ll be back through this way in about a month. I’ve got another twenty minutes or so before I gotta get my bag outta your car and catch a cab.”

“You want me to take you to the airport?”

“Naw, you stay here, enjoy yourself.”

The two paused for a moment, listening as Remy started to talk with Derek about coming by and giving his opinion on putting in a skylight in the attic. Hearing that made Spencer smile. So Remy had decided to paint again. Each time it had been brought up there had been longing in him that had Spencer continuing to encourage it. He was glad to see Remy would give it a shot again. If it made him happy, Spencer was all for it. He smiled as Derek started getting into an in depth discussion on the structural aspect of putting the skylight in, looking just a little surprised at Remy’s knowledge.

Alex was apparently a little surprised too. He scooted his chair just a little closer so he and Spencer could talk to one another without interrupting the conversation in front of them. “I didn’t realize he knew that much about home renovation.”

“Who? Morgan or Remy?”

“Remy.”

Spencer smiled, absently rubbing his thumb against Remy’s shirt, right over his stomach. “I didn’t either, but I’m not surprised. He seems to absorb knowledge in any form.”

“So he’s as nerdy as you are. Who would’ve guessed?” In a flash, Alex leaned back, getting out of distance of Spencer's hand just in time to save him from having a small jolt of electricity run over his shirt. They may have been immune to one another’s powers, but that was only directly. Spencer had long ago learned that he could turn an object into a Taser and still use it to shock his brother, though it was still nowhere near as strong as it was if he did it to someone else. He even knew how to do it discreetly, so no one would have seen anything. Smirking, Alex shook his head. “You’ll have to be faster than that, pidge.”

“Yes, well, it’s rather difficult to lunge after you while being held in place.” He gestured at Remy to make his point. In response, the Cajun shifted his hips just a little, never breaking stride in his conversation. It sounded like he’d moved on to discussing Italian art with Dave. That little wiggle of Remy’s hips had Spencer tightening his grip against Remy’s stomach for a moment, a warning to him to behave. They were in public after all. That didn’t seem to deter the man. If anything, it encouraged him. Remy shifted again, making as if he were simply stretching for a napkin. Spencer knew better. He flattened his hand against Remy’s stomach, pulling him back and forcing him to be still. “Be nice, you.”

Remy turned his head enough that Spencer saw one eye from the side of Remy’s shades. “Or what?”

For a second his mind blanked before he came up with a suitable threat. “Or I won’t give you the present I brought.”

That was even more effective than he’d planned. Remy completely abandoned any games, or any attention to anyone outside of Spencer, and he turned his body so that he could put his arms around Spencer's neck, his face lit up with excitement. “Y’ brought me somet’ing? Where is it?”

Laughter tickled the back of Spencer's throat. The Cajun looked almost childlike in his excitement. “Yes, I brought you something. Be nice to me and I’ll give it to you when we get home.” Spencer teased him.

Remy leaned in, stealing a kiss. “I’ll be _bon_ , me.”

Their conversation was interrupted just then by Alex speaking up and letting everyone know that he had to head out to catch his cab to the airport. Once more Spencer looked at him and offered “Just let me drive you, Alex. It’s ridiculous to pay for a cab when my car is right outside.”

“You’re having a good time here, pidge.” Alex started to say.

He was cut off by Remy waving a hand. “Spencer's right. Y’ don’t need to pay fo’ a cab when it aint nothing fo’ us to take y’. De others don’t mind, do y’?” He looked at the team, all of whom agreed with him. Without giving Alex any more time to protest, Spencer and Remy both rose, saying their goodbyes to the team. Derek walked out with them so Spencer could get his go bag and messenger bag out of the car. He reminded Spencer while they were out there that technically they all still had the next day, Sunday, off before coming back on Monday and then set up with Remy to stop by late in the afternoon to see about the skylight. Moments later, Spencer was in the passenger’s seat of the car, Alex in the back and Remy behind the wheel as they headed toward the airport.

CXCX

Saying goodbye to family was always a little difficult for Spencer. A tiny part of him, that little bit leftover from the kid he’d once been, always worried about whether or not he would see them again when he said goodbye. Honestly, there was good reason too, knowing the kinds of things that could happen to them out there. After saying goodbye, he was a little quiet on the way home, sorting his thoughts back in order. Remy just drove the car, keeping quiet as well to allow him the time he needed to get his head on normal once more. They were almost home when Spencer finally sighed out a breath and smiled a little, turning some in his seat. He looked at the profile of Remy’s face in the darkened car and felt his smile soften slightly. Without even thinking about it, he found himself blurting out what was in his mind. “I missed you.”

He saw a slight blush on Remy’s cheeks when oncoming headlights lit the car for a moment. Remy’s hand reached out, stroking over Spencer's thigh for a moment. “I missed y’ too, cher.” The car went quiet for a moment before Remy spoke again. “What’s bothering y’, _mon mari_? When y’ got to de bar, I could see it on y’r face, whatever it is. An it’s been bugging at y’ off an on all night.”

Surprise filled Spencer. He had thought he’d been shielding that emotion pretty well. Apparently not. He chewed on his lip for a moment, one hand reaching out to rest on Remy’s leg, tracing patterns there in a self-soothing way. If there was anyone who would understand what was going on, it would be Remy. He knew that. Reminding himself of it made it a little easier for him to answer the man. “Sometimes, not as often as it used to be, some cases are a little harder than others. Not just the case itself, but, well, the emotions I pick up on them. Some seem to sneak past my shields better than others. This was one of them. So I’m a little out of sorts. I just need to let them run their course and burn out, that’s all.”

“ _Je suis désolé,_ Spencer.”

Spencer had learned enough of Remy’s Cajun to remember that those words meant ‘I’m sorry’. He smiled as they pulled into the driveway. “It’s all right. Like I said, it doesn’t happen as often as it used to. This one was probably because I’ve been gone for a while, so it was more of a shock to come back.”

“Could be. How do y’ usually burn it out? I know y’ can wait it out but sometimes dat’s not always dat easy.” The two climbed out of the car, conversation pausing until they were out the doors shut. Then Remy picked it back up. “Y’ got a routine y’ do to help? Used to go to de Danger Room, me. Work out until I could barely breathe.”

Spencer followed Remy up the walk, shrugging lightly at his question. “I generally end up waiting it out. Or finding some way to distract myself. When I was younger, I used to go running. Just run and run until I couldn’t feel it all anymore.”

“Mm.” Remy slid the key in the lock, opening the door and stepping inside. Spencer came in and shut the door, flipping the lock out of habit before turning around to head inside. Just as he turned, he found Remy right there, stepping so close that Spencer instinctively stepped back against the door. The Cajun was grinning at him, a sensual little grin that almost instantly had Spencer's heart rate spiking a bit. “Y’ know, dere are much more fun ways to burn dose kinds of t’ings out.” Remy purred at him. He stepped right up to Spencer, letting their bodies press together, lips only scant inches apart. “ _Much_ more fun.”

Spencer couldn’t seem to think, let alone form sentences. The best he could get out was an “Oh?”

That smirk still in place, Remy gave his hips a little roll, making Spencer gasp. “ _Oui_.” His breath ghosted over Spencer's lips. Reaching up, Remy pulled off his sunglasses, his eyes on Spencer's face while he tossed them behind him. There was a devilish glint there that told Spencer that Remy had something planned; what, he didn’t know. He had a feeling he was going to enjoy it, though. Remy’s hips rolled against his again right as Remy finally, finally brushed his lips over Spencer's, teeth nipping at his bottom lip. “Let me show y’ _._ ” And in a move that Spencer hadn’t been expecting, Remy suddenly slid down his body. Spencer barely had a chance to try to stammer out a ‘what’ when Remy’s hands were attacking his belt and Spencer lost all ability to put thoughts together at all when Remy pulled his clothes down just enough for his cock to spring free. He sucked in a breath, his question cutting off. Then the man was taking him into his mouth and Spencer could only groan. Holy shit!

His head thumped back against the door and one of his hands lifted of its own accord, threading in Remy’s silky hair. Not holding him there, just adding that connection, that touch between them. Remy must have approved because he gave a little hum that had Spencer's hips jerking slightly. It took all his control to not tighten his grip in Remy’s hair and thrust into the wet heat of his mouth. The man was bobbing his head, driving Spencer crazy, doing things with his tongue that should have been illegal and it all just felt so good, so damn good. He couldn’t think, could only lean against the door and try to stay upright, not even caring about the sounds he made. It was wonderful. It was heaven. But he wanted more. Oh, he wanted _more_.

He let his hand tighten just lightly in Remy’s hair, surprised at the moan the man let out. _Later_. He’d think about that later. Now, he used that grip to pull Remy off him, to encourage him to rise. As soon as the man did, Spencer moved them to the side, pressing his body against Remy’s to pin him to the wall and kiss him, hot and hard and demanding. It thrilled him to feel Remy’s moan, to hear it. Spencer pressed harder against him, kissing him for all he was worth. When he broke the kiss, it was a definite boost to the ego to see the dazed look on his partner’s face. Spencer took advantage of the moment, bending to yank off first one shoe and then the other, allowing him to kick his pants and boxers off. Then he was back against Remy once more, biting his bottom lip and drawing it in, soothing it with his tongue. He felt Remy’s hands on his hips and responded by bringing his own hands up and pushing at Remy’s jacket, sliding it off his shoulders. Remy took the hint and moved away from the wall enough that his jacket could drop down.

Spencer traced his tongue over Remy’s lips and Remy met his passion, their kiss turning into a duel for dominance. At the same time, their hands were moving almost frantically over one another, stripping each other out of their clothes, and Spencer didn’t even care that they were still in the entryway. He didn’t care that they’d barely made it into the house. Remy had started this and they were both caught up in the heat of it now, growing stronger and stronger with each touch.

Spencer won the battle of dominance in their kiss. He thrilled as Remy’s body melted against him, giving in to his kiss and his touch, their clothes gone now so that skin pressed against skin. When Spencer broke the kiss to taste along his neck, Remy threw his head back, not caring about the thump it made against the wall. “Spencer.” He choked out. “ _Merde_ , Spencer, _encule moi, s’il tu plait_!”

Heat arrowed through Spencer at those husky words. Lifting his head, he nipped at the bottom of Remy’s ear, loving how it made him shudder. Emboldened by Remy’s responses, Spencer didn’t even think of his usual shyness. He pressed his hips forward, undulating just enough to drive them crazy. “English, honey. I don’t know what those ones mean.”

“ _Bon Dieu_.” Remy’s hands tightened on his hips as he pushed against him. “Fuck me, Spencer. _Encule moi_. Need y’.”

Oh holy shit. Hearing those words in that thick Cajun drawl turned Spencer on more than he had thought they could. He gave a full body shudder before biting down Remy’s neck. He tried to pull back to move them toward the bedroom but Remy yanked him back in, kissing him hard. When they broke apart, they were both panting. “Bedroom.” Spencer managed to say. Remy’s arms twined around his neck, his body rolling against Spencer's and it was enough to keep them both moaning. “Here.” Remy gasped out. “Now. Now, Spencer. Need y’ now.”

“We don’t have any supplies.” It was getting harder and harder to fight him. Remy was twining around him, clinging tightly and Spencer couldn’t stop himself from running his hands over all that skin, tracing all that smoothness, running his nails over it so that Remy shivered against him. Then Remy was grabbing one of Spencer's hands and bringing it up to his mouth and Spencer groaned loudly as Remy’s mouth closed over his fingers, his tongue swirling around them, moistening them well. Jesus. Still sucking on Spencer's fingers, Remy twisted his body, turning to face the wall in one smooth move, grinding his ass back as he did. The message was clear and there was no way in hell Spencer was going to be able to say no. He leaned in, nosing Remy’s hair out of the way so that he could get to his neck. He pulled his fingers from Remy’s mouth and brought them down, tracing one over Remy’s entrance. He bit down on Remy’s neck right as he slid his first finger in.

Spencer may not have had a lot of experience, but he had an eidetic memory and encyclopedic knowledge of human anatomy. He took everything he knew and used it in that moment to drive Remy as crazy as the man had driven him. With lips and teeth and tongue he mapped out hot spots on Remy’s neck and shoulders and spine, hitting places the Cajun hadn’t even known were erogenous spots, all the while moving his fingers, stretching and teasing Remy, preparing him. He catalogued every sigh, every gasp, every purr, every moan that his actions caused, storing them away in his mind, until finally Remy had enough and he was thrusting back against Spencer's hand, begging in a garbled mix of English and Cajun that was beyond erotic. Spencer couldn’t hold himself back and he withdrew his fingers. He used his precum to lubricate his cock before lining himself up against Remy’s entrance. Then he grasped those slender hips, holding him in place so that Remy couldn’t shove back against him, allowing him to slowly press in. It was beyond heaven. A ragged groan tore free and his head dropped back as he slid in inch by inch, savoring the feel of it.

When he was fully seated, he stroked his hands over Remy’s back, feeling the man trembling against him. He slid his hands up Remy’s arms to where his hands were braced against the wall. Remy shifted, threading their fingers together and holding Spencer's hands tight at the same time that he rocked his hips back, making the both of them moan. Spencer started to move his hips slowly, setting a steady pace that was designed to drive them mad. The air around them filled with the sounds of harsh breathing and moans; random pleas from Remy which Spencer ignored. He continued at his steady pace, savoring in the feel, relishing the emotions that were filling him and the ones he could feel from Remy. Spencer slowly started to increase his pace, dropping his forehead down to rest against Remy’s shoulder, his own breathing ragged. Their skin was soaked with sweat and they were both trembling, quivering, straining toward that last release. Adding a slight swivel to his hips, Spencer hit just the right angle, making Remy’s whole body shake. If it hadn’t been for their joined hands, the older man might’ve slid straight down to the floor. But Spencer kept his grip tight and held him there, thrusting harder and harder and Remy’s body was bowing and his head threw back and his cries echoed around the room as his body found its release. Spencer clung on for a few more thrusts, riding out Remy’s orgasm, groaning at the feel of that tight channel clenching so much tighter around him, and then he couldn’t hold out anymore and his cries echoed after Remy’s.

The two slid limply down to the floor, content to collapse there amongst their clothes in a heap of tangled limbs. Spencer lay on his back, the floor a cool contrast to the heat on his skin, with Remy curled up half over him. The both of them were panting and their bodies still gave the occasional twitch. It took almost five minutes before Spencer could find his voice again. “We should get up.”

“Mm.” Remy mumbled. He pressed an absent kiss against Spencer's chest. “Can’t feel m’ legs yet.”

Spencer couldn’t help but feel a little smug. He lifted a hand, brushing back sweat dampened hair from his face. His head rolled to the side and he saw his messenger bag. For a second he just looked at it before his brain started to work enough for him to remember something. “Shit!” He fought to make himself move, stretching sideways to grab the strap of his bag and yank it over. Remy half rose, propping himself up on his arms to look at him with concern. “ _Quoi_?”

For a second Spencer ignored him, flipping open his bag and peeking inside at the little box in there. He cracked the box and looked in, giving a relieved sigh when he saw nothing had broken. He hadn’t even thought of that when he’d shed the bag and dropped it. If he’d broken this, he would’ve been extremely upset. _Thank heavens for small favors._ “I was afraid I broke it.”

“Broke what?”

Smiling, Spencer pulled the box out, setting it on his chest. “Your present.” He brought his arms up, folding his hands behind his head to prop it up so he could watch as Remy’s face lit up. The man shifted his position quickly, leaning on Spencer's stomach so that he could lift one hand and pull the box down closer to him. He looked up at Spencer as if checking to make sure it was okay. When Spencer nodded, Remy grinned and quickly opened the box up. Almost instantly his eyes lit and his smile grew. “Oh, cher.” Reaching in, Remy grabbed the hook at the top, lifting the wind chime out of the box and holding it up so that it dangled from his hand. All the colored bits of blown glass tinkled against one another as he lifted it, the light in the room catching on them and making them shine. A little shake of Remy’s hand had them moving, jingling against one another. “ _C'est si beau_!”

“I found it at the gift shop of the hotel. The man there buys from a local artist and sells them. He put the card in there as well. I saw it in the window and it made me think of you.”

Remy put it back into the box and carefully set the box aside before stretching up to press a kiss to Spencer's lips. “ _Merci beaucoup, mon mari_. _Merci_.”

“Mm. You’re very welcome, Remy.”

Suddenly Remy was shifting again, his body stretching over Spencer’s, and an evil little grin was on his lips. “Let Remy t’ank y’ properly.” He purred out. And as the man’s hands started to slide over his body and Spencer found himself caught in another kiss, he couldn’t help but think that if this was the thanks he got, he was going to be bringing plenty of presents home for his Cajun.


	10. Chapter 10

Spencer had been back at work for a week already and somehow it seemed like he’d already been back forever. They’d had two cases since that first one that had pulled him back from his vacation days early and he felt as if he’d been gone more than he’d been home. Yet it wasn’t anything he and Remy hadn’t already spoken about and tried to prepare for. They were doing well with it and Spencer thought that maybe they’d get the hang of things. Things were going well with the two of them too. This marriage was proving to be so much more than they’d thought to hope for.

However, not everything is perfect in life. It was inevitable that they’d get into a fight eventually and it came at the end of this first week of work when he came home from the case. Later, the two would admit that the both of them had overreacted and that their ‘fight’ was ridiculous. In the moment, neither one was thinking of that. It all started after Derek dropped Spencer off at home and the young genius made his way achingly up to the front door, beyond ready to go inside and climb into a bathtub. His body ached in ways he didn’t want to even think about it. He sighed a little in relief as he unlocked the front door and came inside. Simply being home was already making him feel better.

He got all the way back to the bedroom and had his go-bag by the dirty clothes basket when Remy came out of the master bathroom, a towel around his waist, very obviously fresh from the shower. The Cajun was smiling at him almost instantly. “I felt y’ come in. Welcome home, cher.”

“Thank you. I am beyond ready to be home.” Slowly, Spencer grabbed his strap for his messenger bag, pulling it up and over his head with a wince.

The wince didn’t go unnoticed by Remy. His smile melted away and he hurried forward, concern bright in his eyes. “What happened?”

“It’s nothing.” Spencer answered automatically. The words came by habit. “I’m fine. I just need a nice long soak in the tub, I think.” He set his bag down and lifted his hands to start to unbutton his vest and shirt. Remy’s hands swatted his out of the way and he made quick work of Spencer's buttons. When he caught sight of the skin underneath, he turned the air blue with a quick volley of Cajun that Spencer didn’t need to understand to know it was cursing. The curses trailed away and Remy’s gaze snapped up to his. “What de hell happened to y’? No one told me y’ was hurt!”

“It’s just bruising. It looks worse than it really is.” And Spencer knew it would look bad. His skin was always so easily bruised. He looked down and saw the bright colors covering most of the right half of his stomach, the bruises really starting to settle in.

“Why didn’t y’ call me, Spencer? Y’ should’ve told me y’ was hurt!” Despite the censure in his tone, Remy’s hands were gentle as he helped Spencer out of his shirt.

The question honestly surprised Spencer. “Why?” he asked without thinking.

That stopped Remy short. He froze, his face tipping up toward Spencer. “Why? What do y’ mean, why?”

“Why would I call just to tell you that I’m hurt?” The idea seemed ludicrous to Spencer. What would be the point? “There was nothing you could do about it and I wasn’t seriously injured. It’s just bruising.”

“Dat’s not de point! I’m supposed to be y’r partner, Spencer. Y’ don’t keep t’ings like dis from y’r partner. Serious or not, y’ don’t keep dese kinds of t’ings from me.”

Slightly annoyed and beyond confused, Spencer reached up and pulled of his tie, taking it and his dirty clothes to the basket to try and give himself enough space to think. This didn’t make any sense to him. He didn’t understand what the big deal was. “I don’t understand. You know now.” He finally said as he turned around. “What’s the big deal, Remy?”

His words floored Remy. The man stood there, hands on his hips as he stared at Spencer with shock. “What’s de big deal?” He repeated it slowly as if by slowing it down he would somehow find understanding. “De big deal is dat y’ kept dis from me. We talked on de phone not even an hour ago and y’ never once said not’ing about being hurt! Y’ kept dis secret from me.”

“I just didn’t want to worry you.”

“I aint some _petite femme_ dat y’ gotta shelter and protect!” Remy argued angrily. “Been in m’ fair share of fights, me. I aint gonna fall to pieces just cause y’ tell me y’ got a bruised stomach. I aint dat weak, Spencer Reid. Don’t y’ dare treat me like it! We’re married. As y’r husband, it’s m’ job to help take care of y’ and how can I do dat if y’ don’t even tell me when somet’ings wrong?”

“I don’t need to be ‘taken care of’.” Spencer found himself snapping at him. He felt like a child being scolded and that was the last sensation he wanted from his husband. It had him reacting defensively. “I’ve taken care of myself with worse many, many times. It’s just a bruise, Remy! You are completely overreacting to this!”

Temper and hurt flashed over Remy’s face. “Fine.” He spat out. Furiously he strode toward the door, throwing his hands up in the air. “Fine. Just go be so damn independent den, Spencer. Take care of y’rself and see if I give a damn.” He stopped in their bathroom to grab his robe and then he was off toward the kitchen, grumbling and muttering to himself.

Spencer stood in the bedroom for a moment, unsure what the hell had just happened and how something so simple had turned into such a stupid argument. He lifted one hand, pinching at the bridge of his nose as he tried to make sense of it. The movement put a twinge in his ribs and he decided he’d think about this in a minute. First, he wanted in the tub. His movements were almost mechanical as he made his way to the bathroom and shut himself inside, ignoring the sounds coming from the kitchen. He ran himself a bath as hot as he could handle it and, once it was ready, climbed up the two little stairs to the sunken tub. It was a feature he loved about the master bath. It had a shower stall on one side, but in the corner was a raised up area where the large whirlpool bathtub sat. It was a nice little indulgence for the both of them. Spencer blessed it now as he stripped down, making sure to take his contacts out and put them in their container, and then he was sinking into that hot water on a sigh.

His stomach hurt, oh man did it ever ache in here, but he knew from experience that the heat would help ease the pain some. Once he was settled down in the water, he let his head rest back against the tubs edge and he closed his eyes. Here, he took a moment to replay the fight with Remy in his mind, wondering what the hell had happened and where he’d gone wrong. It just didn’t make sense to him to call and tell Remy that he’d sustained such a—in Spencer’s books— _minor_ injury. It wasn’t as if he’d been shot or anything like that! Why was this a big deal?

He tried to pull back from his confusion and look at it differently. He didn’t have a lot of experience in relationships, especially serious ones, so he couldn’t draw off his own experiences to solve this. Instead, he decided to use Scott and Logan in his mind. If Scott had been hurt, even just a scratch, would he really call and tell Logan? The answer came almost instantly. _Yes_. Logan was opinionated about things like that and protective when it came to Scott. He’d be furious if Scott came home hurt and hadn’t told him after having ample opportunity to do so. But…why? Was it just protectiveness? Or was it like Remy said, that they were partners and that’s what partners did? That just made no sense! It wasn’t as if Remy would have been able to do anything about it if Spencer had called and told him. He wasn’t hospitalized, he wasn’t even seriously injured. And not long after, they’d been on the jet home. Wasn’t it soon enough to tell him when he got home? _Apparently not_.

What it all boiled down to was simple. This was obviously something that Remy felt strongly about, something that was important to him. If all he was asking was a phone call to let him know when something like this happened, was that really so hard of a compromise to make? Would it hurt him to do it? No, it wouldn’t. This was a stupid fight and the solution was simple enough.

The sound of the bathroom door opening alerted Spencer. He rolled his head sideways to watch as Remy came in, wrapped up in his robe, his towel over his arm. He dropped the towel in the bathroom laundry and then took a deep breath and made his way over to the tub. There was a hesitant look on Remy’s face and in his movements as he perched on the side of the tub. The way he was worrying his bottom lip, the little furrow between his brows, had Spencer feeling bad. Before he could speak, Remy blurted out “ _Je suis désolé_ , Spencer. I’m sorry. Shouldn’t have overreacted, me. Y’r right. Y’r fine.” He sighed, running a hand through damp hair. “Can’t help but want to take care of y’, cher. I know y’ can take care of y’rself and I’m not saying dat y’ can’t. Just…just saying dat I want to help take care of y’.”

“It’s not that I don’t want you to.” Spencer admitted quietly. “I’m just not familiar with the sensation.” This time it was Spencer's turn to sigh. He made himself sit up a little, wincing at the pull on his stomach. Best as he could he ignored that as he moved to the edge where Remy was, folding his arms on the tub edge and laying his head down on them, looking up at Remy. “I’m sorry too, Remy. I may not understand why you want me to tell you, but I can respect it. I wasn’t keeping it from you in a malicious sense. I just, I’m not used to confiding in people.”

“Spencer…”

Spencer quickly moved, holding a hand up to silence him. “No, hear me out, Remy. I want to explain this because there’s a very good chance we’ll be in this position again in the future.” When he was sure Remy was going to listen, he put his hand back down and got comfortable again. “It was bred into me early on in my life not to whine about things, whether it was a bruise or a broken arm. Mom wasn’t exactly the most stable and I never knew if she’d be there to comfort me or if she’d go into a panic, thinking the government was trying to murder me. Dad, well, a good part of the time he was the reason I was injured, so whining to him would’ve been counterproductive. Telling the Colonel would’ve earned me nothing but ridicule for being weak. And telling Scott or Alex would only have worried them. When I got older and Dad was gone, the reasons still stood for not telling. More so, even, because I worked so hard to make sure no one knew how sick Mom was so we wouldn’t be separated. I’m not telling you this to gain sympathy or to play games. I just want you to understand why I say that I will try to remember to call you when things like this happen, but I can’t guarantee that I’ll always remember. The instinct to brush it off is ingrained in me. However, I can promise to do my best. To try.”

“Dat’s all I can ask fo’.” Remy said softly. He reached out, brushing a bit of Spencer's hair behind his ear. “ _Merci_ fo’ taking de time to explain it to me. I’ll try to keep dat in mind in de future, cher.” Smiling, he tipped his head to the side. “T’ink we just made it through our first fight, _mon mari_. Wasn’t even a big one, yeah.”

“I think you’re right.”

“Are we okay?”

Looking up at him, Spencer saw the seriousness of Remy’s question and he could see the man really was worried that Spencer was going to stay mad. Instead of trying to find words to convince him that it was okay, that they were okay, Spencer straightened up a little and smiled. He sat up enough to rest one arm on Remy’s lap, acting as if he was going to stretch up to kiss him. Just as Remy started to bend down, Spencer tightened his arm and yanked, toppling Remy back into the tub. Water flew everywhere as Remy fell in and Spencer's bruised ribs caught a little more pressure than they should have, yet he could only laugh when Remy straightened up, shoving his hair out of his face. Holding on to the edge of the tub, Spencer let his laughter roll out of him. “Now we’re okay.” He somehow managed to say. Then he dissolved into fits of laughter once more. Remy tried glaring at him; it lasted not even thirty seconds. It melted away and he shook his head and grinned. “Y’r insane.” Still, he leaned forward, bringing his arms up to wrap around Spencer's neck, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

So they made it through their first fight. And, as Remy had said, it wasn’t even a large fight. They both knew fights were bound to happen. The both of them were stubborn and Spencer had a tendency to miss things while Remy had a tendency to be passionate about things. But they agreed that, so long as they took time to cool off and always came back to talk about it, they’d make it through any fight just fine. However, Spencer made one more concession that day, once Remy found out that the bruise came from a brief struggle with the Unsub. Spencer had already come out with Remy a few times in the morning for brief lessons with the Bo; now, to ease Remy’s mind, he found himself agreeing to nightly lessons not only in using the Bo but in hand-to-hand as well. Despite Spencer's insistence that he wasn’t the physical activity type and that he’d only end up hurting himself or Remy, the older man was still insistent on it and Spencer found himself unable to refuse him. So he started to train with Remy on the nights he was home.

Things were going well for them. With each passing day, the two seemed to settle more into their lives, becoming more comfortable and happier. The team noticed the change in Spencer. The way he smiled more, was more relaxed. How happy he was to go home after a case. They took notice of the way he called Remy any time they had downtime on a case and how he text him, something they all knew Spencer wasn’t fond of doing, at other random moments. Sharing a room with him on cases, Derek had even been there to see the silly little smile Spencer would get when he’d get into his go bag and find a note that Remy left for him.

Derek had come out on one weekend they had off and he’d helped Remy install the new skylight into the attic roof, opening up more light up there. Slowly but surely Remy was converting that into a studio. It wasn’t uncommon for Spencer to find him up there when he came home. Remy would come downstairs smelling of turpentine, with paint smeared on him in random places, or charcoal, depending on the medium he was working on. He’d even taken to keeping a sketchpad around the house and Spencer had grown used to being drawn as he sat and read at night, or even on one of his nights to cook. Putting in the skylight was the final step. It had made Spencer smile to himself to sit on the couch in the attic—he’d been firmly told he was allowed nowhere near the power tools by Derek, who reminded him of the _last_ time he’d messed with some and had almost broke a toe—and listen to his best friend and his husband bond over manual labor. By the time Derek had gone home, after being fed a dinner of Remy’s gumbo that he practically devoured, he’d told Spencer “He’s a good guy, pretty boy. Anyone can see he’s doing you good. I’m happy for you.”

So far, Spencer knew he was lucky. Everyone had been so supportive. At least, everyone they’d told. They still hadn’t gotten around to telling Scott and Spencer knew they were going to have to do it soon. He was lucky Scott hadn’t found out about it yet or that he hadn’t tried to stop by and visit yet. But that wasn’t something he was going to push Remy on—at least, not yet. But soon. Soon, they would have to tell him.

CXCX

Three months after they were married, Spencer came home after a case, Derek following in behind him. The two were planning on going in and seeing if they could convince Remy to come out with them. Spencer had tried calling earlier, but Remy hadn’t answered. It didn’t surprise him. If Remy was painting, he most likely wouldn’t hear the phone ringing. So Spencer wasn’t worried as he led Derek into the house. The downstairs was quiet and music was coming from upstairs, telling Spencer that he’d been right. Remy was in the attic studio. But, there was something else on the air. Spencer stopped, his body tensing for a second as he reached out with his empathy, trying to pick up on what it was. Just the act of opening his shields that little bit was enough to slam him with emotions. Grief was the more prevalent one. Grief, self-hatred, pain, but all of it was almost…fuzzy. Without thinking, Spencer raced toward the staircase that led to the attic. Toward Remy.

He didn’t pay any attention to Derek anymore, not caring that the man followed behind him. All his attention was focused on the emotions upstairs. When he burst into the attic, he wasn’t prepared for what he found.

All around the room were new paintings, stacked here and there, up on easels or against the walls. Tons of them. The familiar smell of paint, turpentine, and a slight hint of cigarettes were all there, but today they were mixed in with the scent of alcohol. Paints were open here and there, brushes lying helter-skelter all around. And in the center of the room was Remy, curled up on the floor in his ratty painting jeans, barefoot and without a shirt, a bottle of bourbon practically empty resting in his hand. “Son of a bitch.” Spencer cursed in a low voice. He pulled his messenger bag off, letting it drop onto the couch. Then he moved forward on soft feet, going to crouch down by Remy. Now he knew why Remy’s emotions had felt so fuzzy. The man was beyond drunk. The bottle in his hand wasn’t the only bottle in the room. There were others nearby that showed he’d most likely been drinking since he woke up that morning. It was already five in the evening. He’d most likely spent the day in a drunken stupor.

With a soft sigh, Spencer reached out to take the bottle out of Remy’s hand. The Cajun twitched a little as if he’d fight him, his hand trying to curl around it. “S’ mine.” He mumbled.

“Shh.” Spencer set the bottle aside and reached back over to brush some of Remy’s hair back from his face. “Shh, honey. It’s just me. It’s Spencer.”

“Spencer?” Bleary eyes blinked up at him, taking a few seconds to focus. “Y’r home.”

He stroked a hand over Remy’s cheek. “That’s right. I’m home, honey. Why don’t we get you downstairs and in bed, hm? You don’t want to sleep up here.”

“’m paintin’.”

“I saw that.” Lifting his head, Spencer looked to his best friend, seeing the shock there but knowing that now wasn’t the time to address it. He gestured with his head for Derek to come close. He would need a hand getting Remy up. Derek understood and hurried forward. Together, the two got the Cajun on his feet. Once there, Spencer pulled Remy’s arm around his shoulders, using that to hold him up. “Would you walk in front of us on the stairs? Just to make sure he doesn’t topple?” Spencer murmured. Derek nodded and moved in front of them. Together, the three made their way down the stairs, Spencer encouraging Remy to move the whole way. Once down there, he turned and steered him toward the bedroom. “Good thing the bedding needs washed.” Spencer joked. Then he helped Remy up onto the bed, Derek helping by taking Remy’s feet and lifting his legs up.

Once Remy was lying down, Spencer sat down beside him, brushing his hair back from his face. Remy turned his face into the touch, his eyes drifting closed. “Missed y’.” The words were slurred, but Spencer understood them. “I missed you too.” He returned. He let his thumb trace over Remy’s cheekbone. “But I’m here now, okay? I’m here and I’ll take care of you. You just get some sleep, honey. That’s what you need right now.”

“Can’t sleep.” Remy argued softly. Despite that, his eyes stayed closed. “See dem in m’ dreams. See dem awake, too. Feel it. Hurts, Spencer. It hurts.”

“I know it does. But can you feel me? Can you open up and feel my emotions?” He focused on his feelings for the man lying in front of him, feelings that seemed to be growing stronger day by day.

Remy sighed out a breath, a few of the lines on his face fading away. “ _Oui_. Y’ feel s’ _bon_. S’ warm in m’ head.”

“You just focus on that, then. Focus on that and get some sleep.” Bending, he pressed a kiss to Remy’s forehead. “I’m going to go clean things up upstairs and then I’ll be back, okay? But I’m not leaving, I promise. I’ll be right upstairs and you’ll still be able to feel me. Okay?”

Content, Remy burrowed down into the blankets. “M’kay.”

Only when he was sure Remy would stay there did Spencer stand up. He sighed out a breath and headed out toward the kitchen to grab a garbage bag, passing his friend in the hall. Then he turned and made his way back to the attic, feeling Derek following behind him.  He knew Derek was probably wanting some kind of explanation and Spencer had no idea how to give him one. He had no idea what to say to explain this.

When they were in the attic once more, the both of them had to stop to take in the paintings. Before, they’d been focused on Remy. Now, now they were free to look at what he’d painted. Even drunk, the man had painted startlingly realistic pictures, beautiful in their details. The content, though…

“These paintings…Jesus.” Derek swore softly. His eyes were wide as they traveled around the room, taking in the paintings. “Jesus, Reid. These…they’re beautifully done, but holy shit. What is this?”

Spencer looked at them, his eyes traveling to one picture in particular. A picture of a small child, covered vaguely in shadows. But her face could be slightly seen in those shadows, her cheek clear enough to see the tear stains there and the tears still falling. He felt as if he could reach out and touch her cheek and he would find it wet. “The Morlock Massacre.” He said hoarsely. His heart was aching inside of him. “I didn’t even think about it. Today is the anniversary of the Morlock Massacre.” _Oh, Remy._ The pain in the paintings was obvious to anyone who looked at them. It was there in the colors, in every line, every inch of canvas. Spencer could see the man’s heart right out there in startling detail.

A hand settled on Spencer's shoulder, a warm and supportive touch. “I’m sorry, kid. Was…was he there?”

There were so many ways to answer that. Yet Spencer couldn’t answer too much without betraying a confidence he refused to betray. He settled for saying “Yes.” He knew Derek would understand some. How could he not, with these images in front of him? There was no denying the pain that Remy felt over it all. No matter how much time went by, Remy still felt guilty over this, still mourned those that had been lost. In these paintings was his memorial to them. His tribute to the lives lost. Spencer's hands were reverent as he set the paintings out to dry against the wall where Remy usually set them. Then he carefully started to clean up the rest of the mess, Derek working just as quietly beside him.

They were almost done when Derek spoke up once more. His voice was softer, obviously trying to distract Spencer a little. “I’ve gotta say, I didn’t know how talented he was. He’s a hell of a painter.”

That had the desired effect. Spencer pulled out of his melancholy and smiled just a little. “He works in other mediums as well, but he’s most fond of paint. He likes to sketch too.”

“Has he ever thought of selling them? Or, I don’t know, doing something with them.”

“I’m not sure. I imagine he has some kind of plan, knowing him.” Putting a now clean brush in its bucket, Spencer chuckled. “He’s always got some plan. For now, though, I think he’s just getting back into things.”

The two finished their cleaning in silence. When they were done, Spencer took his garbage bag downstairs, bringing it out to the garbage bins in the garage. Then he came back inside, stopping to wash his hands in the sink. He heard Derek come in and turned his head when the man called his name. “I’m gonna go ahead and head out, kid. If you guys need anything, call me, okay?” There was sympathy in Derek’s face. “And you know, tomorrow’s just a paperwork day. Why don’t you call in and tell Hotch you’re not feeling too well? I think your man might need you a little more than we need you to do paperwork. I’ll even pick up some of the slack on it.”

The offer had Spencer startling. Then he realized he shouldn’t be surprised. It was just the type of person Derek was. Grabbing a towel to dry his hands, Spencer gave the man a smile. “Thanks. I think you’re right. I’ll give Hotch a call first thing in the morning.”

“Anytime, kid. Anytime.”

Not even five minutes later, the front door was locked and Spencer was back in the bedroom. His hands were gentle as he stripped Remy out of his dirty jeans, tossing them into the laundry. Just in case, he set a bucket beside the bed and he made sure to put some water and Remy’s sunglasses on the nightstand. He knew better than to give him aspirin, knowing he couldn’t take it. Then he stripped down to his boxers and climbed into bed as well, curling his body around Remy’s protectively, trying to wrap not only his body but his emotions around him. He knew he couldn’t take away Remy’s pain but maybe he could help get him through it. Even if all he could do was hold him.

It was a long night for them. The alcohol kept Remy out for a while but his body burned it off fast, the same as Spencer's did. Their energy based mutations made them burn things like that off faster than the average person. It didn’t take long before the hazy cloud of alcohol was gone and reality crept back into Remy’s dreams in the form of memories as nightmares that haunted him and had him crying out in his sleep. Never once did Spencer leave his side. He stuck by him through the nightmares, calming him when he woke in a panic, holding him as the pain would take him after and he would sob, soothing him back down until he would sleep once more. Through the entire emotional roller-coaster, Spencer stayed, wrapping his emotions around Remy to try and hold him as much as he held the man with his arms. He was there in the middle of the night when Remy felt only pain. Spencer held him close and stroked over his skin and kissed him so sweetly and showed him there was more to the world than just pain.

When morning rolled around, Spencer broke away from the bed only long enough to use the restroom and to call in to work, and only when he was sure that Remy was asleep. Then he climbed back into bed, gathering the man close to him. In the warm light of the morning as Remy finally woke from a dreamless sleep, Spencer was still there. They said not a word about his grief; there were no words that needed to be said. That night, they had glimpsed inside of one another. The empathic link they’d been building little by little was now firmly cemented between them. Words weren’t necessary as Spencer stretched himself over Remy and proceeded to show him that he was alive, they were both alive, and that he was cared for. That he wasn’t alone. Spencer took his time, worshiping the body under his, his touch soft and gentle and full of more emotion than either could put voice to. And when they finally joined together, when they cried out their pleasure to the ceiling, it was everything they needed. It was perfect.


	11. Chapter 11

A month had gone by since the anniversary of the massacre and life in the Reid household really seemed to be settling in. The two men had grown closer since that day. Remy found himself starting to let go of a tension he hadn’t even realized he’d had. Even though the two were putting their best effort into this marriage, a part of Remy hadn’t been able to help but worry that Spencer was going to eventually leave. Pretty much anyone else he’d ever counted on had done the same. What would stop Spencer? But after making it through that night, after the way Spencer had stayed with him and cared for him, Remy found himself forgetting those fears little by little and beginning to hope. HE threw himself into things even more than he had been, determined to take this house they had and make it a home.

That was why he was currently stripped down to a pair of cutoff jeans and a tank top, his hair braided out of the way and covered with a bandana, while he painted the walls in the kitchen a color that the can labeled ‘Empire Gold’, which was really a nice warm yellow that brightened up the room. He was halfway through when the house phone rang nearby. With one hand he grabbed the remote to pause his music before stretching with the other to hit the speakerphone button. “ _Bonjour,_ Reid residence.”

There was only a short pause before a warm, familiar laugh filled the kitchen. “ _Did I call de right house? Y’ sound so formal dere, mon fils_.”

The sound of Jean-Luc’s voice brought a wide smile to Remy’s face. He’d given his father this number a couple months back when he’d first called to tell him about the marriage. Since then he hadn’t heard from the man, though that wasn’t unusual. Their communications were generally spread out, depending on how busy either one of them was. That also meant that conversations between them could be very short, if business interrupted, or extremely long, if they had the time to catch up on everything. He hoped now would end up being one of their long talks; it had been far too long since they’d really had a chance to chat. Despite what people thought, Remy was very close with his father. Closer than anyone knew. It was safer for them to foster the image of estrangement. Better to let both their enemies think that they didn’t speak al that often.

“Y’ got de right house. Gotta sound respectful just in case it’s Spencer's work calling, _oui_?” Stretching back over the counter, Remy went back to painting the strip of backsplash he was working on. “ _Comment ça va,_ Papa?”

“ _Bien, mon fils. Y’r Papa’s doin’ just fine. How about y’? How’s de married life treating y’_?”

“It’s treatin’ me _bien_.” For a second Remy pulled back to inspect the spot he was on. With a nod, he moved to a new spot, clambering up on the counter to reach the wall above the cupboards. “Been getting t’ings fixed up round de house, keeping m’self busy when he’s out on cases.”

“ _Y’r Tante got de pictures y’ sent down fo’ her. Y’ and y’r man look très content. It’s good to see. Been a long time since I saw a smile on y’r face like de one y’ got on in de pictures. He makes y’ happy den, dis Spencer_?”

Without him even noticing, a smile curved Remy’s lips. “ _Oui_ , he does.”

“ _Dat’s de first time I’ve asked y’ dat about someone y’r dating and I actually believe y’r answer. He’s already a step above any of de others y’ve dated._ ” Jean-Luc paused and snorted slightly. “ _Definitely better dan dat chienne y’ was with._ ”

The uncharacteristic curse from his Papa had Remy wincing. Jean-Luc wasn’t the type to curse, and he definitely wasn’t the type to call a woman a _chienne_ , a bitch. But since Remy had told him what had happened at the trial, his Papa hadn’t been the least bit shy about voicing his opinions of Rogue and none of them were good ones. “She wasn’t all dat bad, Papa. We had our good moments together.”

Jean-Luc snorted again and his voice practically dripped sarcasm. _“Oh, oui, I can see dat. So good she didn’t mind givin’ y’ de hot and cold treatment. So good she could just leave y’ on de ice to die.”_

The sarcasm didn’t bother Remy in the least bit. He was well used to it and just gave a roll of his eyes. “Y’r as bad as Spencer, Papa. _Dieu_. Do we gotta sit and talk about dat _femme_? I’d rather not spend m’ time wit’ y’ talking about her.”

“ _Fair enough. Tell me what y’ been up to. What do y’ do to keep y’rself entertained while y’r husband’s gone? Y’ aint de type to just sit around. Y’ been working again?_ ”

“ _Non_. Like I said, I been getting de house all fixed up de way we want, doing little repairs here and dere, renovations and such. I’m painting de kitchen right now, actually. And I got de attic renovated as well. Spencer encouraged me to take de space, so I did, and with de help of his coworker Derek, I got some skylights in and got de place outfitted as a studio. I been painting again, Papa. Not just painting, _mais_ drawing too.”

The exclamation Jean-Luc let out was unmistakably happy. “ _Oh, dat’s great news, Remy! Y’ got such talent in y’r hands it’s been a shame to waste it. What’re y’ plannin’ on doing wit’ y’r paintings?_ ”

Amused, Remy slanted a look down at the phone. “What makes y’ t’ink I’m gonna do anyt’ing with dem? I just been enjoying de painting.”

Laughter filled the kitchen once more. “ _If dere’s one t’ing I know about y’, Remy LeBeau, it’s dat y’ always got a plan fo’ everyt’ing. Y’ can’t fool y’r Papa on dis. Y’ find y’rself a gallery?_ ”

Because it was his Papa and Remy had always been able to tell Jean-Luc anything, without any fear of being judged for it, he opened up a little more than he would’ve it anyone else had asked that question. “ _Non,_ I didn’t. I’ve been t’inking about it a little, trying to come up with a plan on how I wanna do dis. If I try and do dis de normal way, dere’s a good chance dat I’ll end up failing out. One sight of me without m’ sunglasses and dere aint gonna be many dat are gonna buy a picture painted by a mutant. Y’ and I both know it, Papa. _Mais_ , if I keep m’ identity quiet, run all m’ work through a middleman, den it’ll be judged on its own merit. Plus, it’ll have de added appeal of being a mystery, somet’ing dat people just lap up.”

“ _I knew y’ had somet’ing planned. Y’r just like y’r Papa._ ” Jean-Luc complimented, bringing a flush of pride to Remy’s cheeks. “ _Now, y’r plan sounds smart. Y’ll have to work carefully if y’r gonna keep from being found out, though. Y’ll have to find a dealer y’ can trust not to sell out y’r identity later on. And in de meantime, y’ should be selling somewhere, getting y’r art out to be seen. Not too much, just some minor pieces.”_

“Dat’s what I’m planning on. Dere’s a nice shop downtown dat sells local artists’ work. I was gonna talk to Spencer, lay out what I wanna do and see if he’ll come with me and help me bring some pieces in, claim dey’re from an anonymous artist, see if maybe dey might be interested. I’m gonna look around, too, see if I can find a few names of dealers round dese parts, find out what I can about dem.”

“ _Y’ need help with names, y’ let me know. I can make a few calls._ ”

“ _Merci_ , Papa.” Remy started to say more but he heard the sound of a car pulling up into the drive. He turned away from the wall and dropped down, landing lightly on his feet. “Papa, someone just pulled up, so I’m gonna have to let y’ go.”

“ _Go on den. I gotta get back to work anyways. Mais I’ll call y’ sometime in de next few weeks to see how y’r work is coming. Je t’aime, mon fils._ ”

“ _Je t’aime_ , Papa.”

Remy dropped his paint brush down into the water dish and jogged over toward the door. The blinds and curtains in the living room were open so he saw who was there before he even reached the door. When he caught sight of Derek’s vehicle, the smile it brought was instantaneous. Like a flash Remy was at the door. He pulled it open wide and let his grin grow while he watched Spencer climb out of the car. This case had taken Spencer away for almost a whole week now and a week just felt far, far too long. Phone calls helped but they could only do so much. There was nothing that beat being able to see the other person, to reach out and touch them. More than that, there was nothing that could beat being able to feel the sensations of Spencer's emotions brushing up against his mind. The two empaths said not a word at first. They let their emotions do the talking for them, greeting one another and saying how much they’d missed the other. From there it was natural for Remy to head down the yard until he was right there at Spencer's side and he could reach out to touch the side of his face, tip down that slight bit so he could press their lips together. He felt Spencer's hands settle on his hips and then the man was tipping his head up and pouring himself into their kiss.

A low cough and a swell of amusement drew them up and away from one another. The two turned to look at Derek, who was leaning over towards the passenger’s seat to smirk at them. “Save it till you get in the house, lovebirds.” He taunted them. “Hotch said we’ve got the next two days off, so you’ve both got plenty of time to catch up. You don’t gotta do it all on the front lawn.”

“Jealous, _mon ami_?” Remy kept one arm around Spencer and braced against him so he could bend down enough to meet Derek smirk for smirk.

That just made Derek laugh. “Jealous. Yeah, that’s the word for it. Get on inside, freaks. Enjoy your days off!”

After Spencer grabbed his go-bag, the two watched Derek pull out of the drive, waving at him while he pulled away. Then Remy turned to face Spencer and he couldn’t keep his smile off his face. His already bright mood was even brighter now. All it took was Spencer coming home and everything seemed just a little bit brighter. “Y’ didn’t say y’ was on y’r way home! I would’ve cleaned up a bit if I’d known. De kitchen’s a bit of a mess. I was just finishing painting in dere.”

“I can tell.” One of Spencer's fingers brushed over Remy’s cheek, coming away with a bit of paint on the tip of it. Amusement danced in his eyes. “The color does look nice. Hopefully it looks nice on the walls as well.”

“I t’ink it does. Why don’t we go on inside and I’ll show y’?” Without thinking about it, Remy stepped in close and slid his arm around Spencer's waist, drawing him against his side. He didn’t pay attention to the pain on him or his clothes that he transferred to Spencer's clothes with that move. All of his attention was focused simply on the man he held. “Have y’ had lunch yet, cher? I got some cold cuts in dere.”

Spencer leaned into his embrace with a relaxed sigh. The little lines of tension on his face were already starting to fade away and it made Remy warm to realize that just coming home did that for him. Being home was enough to take that tension out of Spencer. The young genius tipped his head and rested it against Remy’s shoulder for just a second. “That sounds nice. I’ll make the sandwiches and you can show me what you’ve been up to and I’ll show you what I brought for you. How does that sound?”

“Dat sounds nice.”

Together, the two made their way inside, never fully letting go of one another.

CXCX

The two men spent the better part of the afternoon just enjoying one another’s company and reveling in the feeling of being back together once more. Spencer made their lunch while Remy cleaned up his brushes and paint cans. Then the two sat at the table and enjoyed their lunch together while exchanging stories on what they’d been doing while apart from the other. At one point Spencer brought out the gift he’d brought back for Remy, a tradition that still carried on.

When evening rolled around, it was Remy who suggested they have their sparring session a little earlier than normal. “I aint letting y’ get outta it.” He teased, laughing at the mock scowl Spencer sent him. “ _Mais_ I’d like to get it outta de way so we can have ourselves a nice night together.”

That was how Spencer found himself in the comfortable cotton clothes that Remy had bought him to train in, with a training staff in his hand, trying his hardest to remember everything that Remy had taught him. As more time passed, he was getting better and better and he could admit, at least to himself, that he was really starting to enjoy this. However, Remy still kicked his ass nine times out of ten. Kind of like right now. Once more the Cajun managed to knock Spencer to the ground.

Spencer resisted the urge to growl as he pulled himself up off the grass. He also managed to keep from rubbing a hand over his sore backside. However, the look Remy gave him said that his efforts to hide his annoyance had failed. A slow grin spread over his lips and there was laughter dancing in his eyes. He was smart enough not to let that laughter free, though. He just stood there and grinned while Spencer got back to his feet. Then he tossed the man the training staff. Spencer was glad he managed to catch it. It would’ve really been the icing on the cake to not only be knocked on his ass, but to get hit in the face with a stick when he got back up.

“Y’ held out longer dis time.” The compliment was delivered in a matter-of-fact voice that, to Spencer, made it more meaningful. Remy didn’t hand out false compliments. The Cajun shifted his stance and adjusted his own staff, body ready for the next round. “Again.”

When he’d agreed to train with Remy, he hadn’t really thought how seriously Remy would take the training. He should’ve known better. The man was a fighter, a Master Thief, and had been one of the X-Men. It was logical that he took any kind of training seriously. Spencer had tried to warn him that physical combat just wasn’t his strong suit. Remy wasn’t hearing any of it, though. He just listened and nodded and then had told Spencer that it was all the more reason to do this. So here they were, on yet another night of training. Spencer tried not to grumble while he put his feet in the position that Remy had taught him and he adjusted his grip on the staff. Remy had taken him to a specialty store and helped him pick out a training staff that felt comfortable in his hand. Not too light, not too heavy.

Once more they started to go through their forms and that ‘light’ staff quickly grew heavy as he tried to defend against Remy’s attack. The other man wasn’t coming at him all out but he wasn’t going soft and easy, either. He scored plenty of strikes against Spencer's arms, his hips, or his legs. Spencer could tell that the Cajun pulled his blows so they wouldn’t cause serious damage. Still, he was definitely going to be bruised by the time they were done.

As much as he was coming to care about Remy, right at that moment Spencer was cursing him steadily inside his head. When the staff slapped against his hip, he almost lost his footing. Remy followed it with a steady tap to his shoulder and then to the side of his head. Spencer lost his fight with his balance and ended up dropping down for a minute. He rolled sideways and hopped up, still panting, staff held in a defensive position.

Remy’s grin was sharp. “Nice recovery, cher.”

The thought that sprang to Spencer’s mind in reply wasn’t exactly nice. By some small miracle, he managed not to say it. Instead, he just stood, braced and waiting.

“Again.” Remy called, moving in with a deadly grace. If the situation hadn’t sucked so much, Spencer would have admired the way that Remy moved. As it was, all he could think was ‘shit’ as Remy came at him. Somehow Spencer managed to make his achy muscles move. But he was beyond tired by now and it didn’t take long for Remy to lay him out again. This time Spencer simply lay there, staring up at the slowly darkening sky. He took a deep breath, calling out “I yield.”

His chest heaved as he lay there and contemplated uncharacteristically murderous thoughts. Sweet Jesus, but he hurt! He stared at the clouds and tried to relax his body. A shadow fell over him, blocking out the sun for a moment. Spencer turned his head to see Remy squatting there, his staff gone, a small smile on his face. “Y’ did _bien_ , Spencer. Y’r getting better and better.”

Spencer licked his lips, thinking about what he wanted to say for a minute. Then he sighed and gave up. “Go to hell, Remy.”

Laughter danced in Remy’s eyes and bubbled out of his throat. The curse didn’t bother him in the least bit.  “ _Je sais_ it seems harsh, _mais_ I promise, y’ll learn faster if I don’t go easy on y’.”

“I ache in places I didn’t know could ache.” Spencer grumbled. He glared at Remy. “I’m going to be limping at work. How on earth am I supposed to explain that?”

“Any way y’ want.” The taunt was delivered with a grin and a wink that had Spencer rolling his eyes and smothering a chuckle.

Remy stood up, extending his hands down to him. For just a split second Spencer thought about stubbornly refusing the help. But his mind was already relaxing and a different idea occurred to him. He took hold of Remy’s hands and, instead of climbing up, he yanked for all he was worth and brought Remy thumping down on top of him.

Laughter echoed around them in the cooling night air. With a small smile, Spencer wound his arms up and around Remy’s neck. “You can be a real ass sometimes, you know that?”

Remy laughed and kissed him briefly. “So I’ve been told.”

“Ok, just so we’re clear.”

Smiling, Spencer lost himself in Remy’s kiss. This time when they pulled apart, both were smiling. Remy pulled back and patted his hand against Spencer's chest. “C’mon, cher. Let’s get cleaned up and den y’ and I are gonna go out, grab a bite to eat, maybe have a few drinks. Den,” Once more Remy bent down, letting his lips sit just a breath away from Spencer's. “we’ll come back here and I’ll give y’ y’r dessert. _Oui_?”

How the hell could a man turn down an offer like that? Spencer was many things, but he wasn’t stupid. “ _Oui_.” He replied. The grin he got in response told him that his husband was going to make this very, very worth his while.


	12. Chapter 12

Just a week before their five month anniversary, only two months after the Massacre anniversary, Spencer and Remy were once more in their bed together. Only this time Spencer was stretched out on his stomach with Remy straddling his hips. The Cajun pressed his hands down on Spencer's back, kneading at the knots of tension there. Spencer's whole body was tensed and Remy was trying to help him get it to relax, at least a little bit. “Y’ know, dis aint gonna relax y’ if y’ don’t stop t’inking so hard.”

The gentle reminder had Spencer sighing a little. He tried to force his brain to stop racing so badly. “Sorry.”

“Y’ aint got nothing to apologize fo’, cher.” They both knew where Spencer's mind was and why it was there. The BAU was currently working on a local case, one they’d been on for the past five days, and they were no closer to solving it than they had gotten on the second day. They had the name of their Unsub—Oliver Sherman—and they’d raided his house, yet they didn’t have the man or the current victim he had hostage with him. It was weighing hard on Spencer especially at the moment because they’d found a note at the Unsub’s house that was written in code. He’d managed to decipher the code, only to discover a riddle underneath as well as a note that told him that, if he solved the riddle by deadline, he would save the girl and catch him. So far, no one had been able to figure out the riddle. For nights now Remy had watched Spencer pace back and forth in his office or toss and turn in bed, his mind running almost nonstop. When he wasn’t here, he was at the BAU for all hours, pushing himself until he was sent home, just the same as the rest of the team. Tonight, Aaron had ordered them all to go home, shut off, and get some sleep. They had two days left until deadline; their Unsub captured a girl every Monday afternoon and kept her alive for a week, killing her the next Monday morning and dumping her body before moving on to another one.

Spencer knew he’d been pushing his brain too hard on this and that he was both overworked and overtired right now, neither of which would help him solve this any faster. Taking a deep breath, he slowly let it out, letting himself relax underneath Remy’s hands. He opened himself a little to the link between them, letting the bundle of sensations that was ‘Remy’ in his mind fill him, chasing away the tension. His next breath eased his muscles a little more. Remy gave an approving murmur. “Dere y’ go, cher. _Merde_ , y’r tense. Aint no wonder y’ got dat headache.”

He hit a particularly tense spot and Spencer sighed under his touch. “Oh, that feels fantastic. You have wonderful hands, Remy. Absolutely wonderful.”

A sinful little chuckle came from Remy. “ _Merci_.”

The lusty overtures to that had Spencer smiling. He didn’t bother even opening his eyes as he lazily scolded “Keep your mind out of the gutter.”

“As if dat’s gonna happen when I got m’ hands all over y’r skin. Don’t be _couillon_.”

“As always, you have such a way with words.” Spencer teased.

Pressing hard over a knot, Remy smirked when Spencer jumped. He dropped his accent entirely, his words taking on a slightly British edge to them as he asked “Is there a problem with the way I speak? Would you prefer I spoke this way?”

“Absolutely not.” Spencer answered immediately. His eyes stayed shut but a small scowl twisted his face that Remy could just slightly see. “I have no problems with the way that you speak or the words you use. If anything, you should have figured out by now that I love the sound of your voice. Don’t change it. It makes you sound all…wrong.”

“Well, we wouldn’t want dat.” Remy said in his normal voice. Humor tickled at the edges of his words.

A happy little sigh slid out and Spencer's face smoothed over. “Much better. It was almost creepy, like you were someone else entirely, not my Remy.” _Like you were someone else entirely_. Those words repeated in Spencer's mind, distracting him so that he didn’t even notice the little smile Remy got at being called ‘my Remy’. His whole body went utterly still as those words repeated over and over. Someone else entirely. Of course. Of course! Locked in his thoughts, he didn’t notice that Remy moved just seconds before Spencer started to scramble up. “Of course!” He mumbled to himself. “How could I have missed it? I can’t believe it!” Grabbing his shirt off the chair, he yanked it on, not really paying attention to his surroundings. His mind was already racing ahead.

With an indulgent smile and a roll of his eyes, Remy knelt on the edge of the bed, reaching out and swatting Spencer's hands away so he could unbutton the shirt Spencer had just crookedly buttoned and fix it for him. Obviously something important had sparked in that big brain of Spencer's and he knew the man wouldn’t stop until he sorted it all out.

Spencer dug around in his pockets, trying to pull out his cellphone as Remy did up the last of his buttons for him. “I can’t believe I let him trick me this way.” The young genius swore. “All this time we’ve been fighting to solve the riddle when in reality the riddle means nothing. It didn’t match!” He looked up at Remy, his face excited in the wake of new information.  “All this time he’s wanted us to be looking this way because it’s a diversion. A way of manipulating us and showing that he’s smarter. It always felt a little off because it just didn’t make sense. He’s proved he’s smart, but not extremely intelligent. So why would he have a riddle that he left for us to solve? It didn’t fit in! That’s because it wasn’t important. He was making himself into someone else in an effort to distract us from who he really is. He distracted us away from his roots, the core of who he is.” Dialing a number, Spencer held his phone up to his ear, searching around the room for his shoes.

He looked up when suddenly the shoes were in front of him in Remy’s hands. Straightening, he grinned at the older man and surprised him by grabbing the front of his shirt and yanking him in for a hard, fast kiss. When they broke apart, he snagged his shoes at the same time that Derek’s voice came over the line. “Morgan! I realized what we’ve been doing wrong. I need you to come pick me up and we need to get everyone down to the BAU. I’m almost positive I know how to find him…”

Remy grinned to himself as he made his way out to the kitchen. He’d have plenty of time to toss together a quick bit of coffee and a sandwich for Spencer before Derek got here to pick him up. His grin grew and he chuckled as he started to prepare the pot. He had to admit, Alex was right. The other man liked to frequently tease him about how domestic he was becoming. Really, who would’ve pictured Remy LeBeau making up a cup of coffee and a quick dinner for his husband to take off to work? It was a very ‘wife’ type thing to do. Still, he didn’t mind, not really. The good humor of it stuck with him as he built a couple po’boys, one for Spencer and one for himself. Then, because he knew it would earn him points, he used the leftovers to make one for Derek as well. It wouldn’t hurt to butter the man up a little, seeing as how Remy was planning on asking him to come by after this case and help him fix a section of the garage roof that was leaking. He’d come to learn that Derek was pretty easily bought for help on things with a couple beers and a good meal. Spencer had clued him in on that one. He’d told Remy early on “Morgan’s easy. Anytime I need his help, all I have to do is feed him. He misses home cooking and he doesn’t like to do it for just him, so he’ll do pretty much anything for a free, home style meal that he doesn’t have to make.” Then he’d given that devious little grin of his that always made Remy laugh.

Just as Spencer came out of the bedroom and there came the sound of a car pulling up outside, Remy bagged up the sandwiches and finished putting the lid on the travel thermos of coffee. He brought them out, handing them off to Spencer in the hallway. “Take dese with y’.” he said as he handed them over. “Y’ll need de coffee if y’r working tonight and y’ aint had nothing to eat yet, so y’ eat de sandwich, y’ hear me? I put one in dere fo’ Derek too. Y’ tell him I’m sucking up fo’ some help with de roof and let him know dat dere’s a pot of jambalaya in it fo’ him if he agrees.”

Spencer smiled and took the items from Remy’s hands. He leaned in, giving a kiss that practically curled Remy’s toes. When they broke apart, Spencer smiled at him. “Thank you, Remy. You are absolutely fantastic. I’m so sorry I’m just bailing on you…”

“ _Non_ , y’ go on, cher. Go catch de _connard_ , yeah.” Then, as he always did when Spencer left, he lifted his hand and put it over Spencer's heart. “Come home safe.” He could never stop himself from saying it. Spencer kissed him once more and then he was rushing out the door. Remy stood there until he heard the car pull away. Then, with a sigh, he turned and headed in to grab his own dinner. He took it to the living room with him, pausing to put in a movie. He knew there’d be no way he was going to relax enough to do much of anything tonight. If Spencer said that he was pretty sure he had a way to catch this guy, Remy knew it was a high likelihood that they’d be going after him tonight. If there was one part of this whole thing that was hardest for Remy, it was sitting home while the action happened. A big part of him wanted to be there right beside Spencer; not just to be in the fight, though there were times he did miss that action. No, he was surprised to realize that the biggest part of him wanted to be there simply because then he could ensure that nothing happened to Spencer.

 _What’s dat say about me?_ He thought to himself. With the movie playing in the background, Remy settled into the couch and ate his dinner, his thoughts turned inward. What did it say about him? At one point in time, the need to help, to be a part of the fight, would’ve been driving him. Those needs were part of what had kept him with the Professor all this time. The man may be an idealistic fool, yet Remy had still fought time and time again for the dream the Professor preached about. Had he lost that drive in him? Had he let Antarctica freeze it out of him?

No; no, he hadn’t. The need to help was still there. The desire to make the world a better place—to make it a place that mutants could be safe to live in. There was simply another need, another desire inside of him that seemed to be stronger than any other. Because what kind of world would it be if it didn’t have Spencer in it?

That thought was enough to rock Remy back on his heels. When had Spencer become so much a part of his world? Hell, not even a part of it. When had he become the _center_ of it? Movie forgotten, Remy pushed to his feet, making his way to the back patio. Along the way he snagged his coat almost absently, pulling out his cigarettes from his pocket. He waited until he was outside and the door shut behind him before he lit the cigarette. This wasn’t the kind of mental revelation that one had simply sitting on a couch. It needed a smoke and hell, maybe a drink too.

For the first time, Remy seriously made himself stop and _think_ about himself and about Spencer. They’d come a long way since their impromptu wedding. Then, they’d been two people who were getting to know one another, enjoying that beginning spark of a new relationship. Even with as much as they’d talked that week, they had honestly barely known one another. Staying married after that night had been crazy. It had also been one of the best things they’d ever done. Remy knew that there was affection between him and Spencer. It had been building from the start and growing stronger day by day. But had it finally become more than affection?

Spencer made him feel things that no one had ever made him feel before. Not Rogue, not even Belle. No one else ever did the things for Remy that Spencer did either. No one had stuck by him through his demons. Through the good and the bad. So many people in Remy’s life had professed to love him and yet their actions had said differently. Never once had Spencer said that he loved Remy, yet his actions clearly showed how much he cared. Spencer…took care of him. Sometimes it was even just the little things, things that others might not notice but that meant more to Remy than Spencer probably realized. Like the way he brought home random things each time he went on a case. It wasn’t always something like the wind chime he’d brought the first time. Sometimes it was something small, like a bag of coffee from Atlanta that Remy had mentioned once in a casual conversation that he’d loved and Spencer had actually remembered it when he was in Georgia and had picked some up. Another time he’d brought home a magnet, remembering Remy’s comment on how empty the outside of the fridge looked.

There was the way he would always seem to notice Remy’s down moods, even when Remy wasn’t admitting to it, and he’d do something like leave a little note by the coffeepot or left lying up in the studio. On the little note would either be a quick word, letting him know he was appreciated or enjoyed, or it would be a small snatch of poetry that would bring a smile to Remy’s lips. He had a feeling Spencer didn’t know that he kept all those notes. There was a little box up in the attic that he put them all inside of. Sometimes he liked to sit and read them, just to make himself smile.

There were big ways that Spencer showed he cared as well. The way he’d taken care of Remy on the day of the anniversary came to mind first. Getting him in bed, cleaning up his mess, and then staying with him. That had been the biggest one. Spencer had stayed there with him through all the nightmares, the tears, the pain, and still he’d been there in the morning and he’d used his body instead of words to show Remy that he was still alive, that they were both alive, and that there was still beauty and affection to be found in the world.

 _Dieu_ , Spencer had become such a sensual being! That part of him had truly opened and blossomed since they’d started that aspect of their relationship. The man had been so shy and nervous at first and now…now there were times he even initiated things. That shyness would always be a part of him, no matter what. It was a part of him and a byproduct of his past, a past that not many knew about and that he didn’t even like to talk about with Remy. Though officially they had never discussed some of the scars that Spencer's body bore, Remy knew where some of them came from. Their mere presence told their story. He understood why there were still times that Spencer occasionally flinched when a touch caught him off guard. But the man never let it stop him. He was growing more and more comfortable with touches as time went by.

Remy sighed and charged his cigarette butt, flicking it and letting it explode in the air with a small pop. His contemplation of their relationship had turned into a mental inventory of Spencer's good qualities. If he was going to think about things, he had to be honest. There were bad things too. Weren’t there always? They each had their minor annoyances with one another. Little things, like the way Spencer could shower in the morning and take almost all the hot water so that Remy had to wait or he’d never have enough hot water to make it through his whole shower. Or the man’s blasé attitude towards his own safety. This stupid need he had to rush headfirst into danger no matter the risk to himself that made Remy just want to smack him. Or this need of his to put everyone else’s needs ahead of his own, like his didn’t matter.  Or that snooty little tone he could get when he was irritated and felt that he was right. Or how he’d leave books, well, everywhere. Remy had tripped on books countless times.

There were things that Remy knew he did that could drive Spencer crazy as well. It was part and parcel of being in a relationship, wasn’t it? What he thought was most telling was the fact that those little things didn’t matter in the grand scheme. So what if they got a little annoyed sometimes? So what if they had a fight every now and again? Spencer was so much more passionate about things than people realized he was. They’d not only fought before, but they’d full on shouted at one another. But never once had they hurt one another while fighting and never once had the anger lasted longer than an hour after the fight. One of them always came after the other and they _talked_. They fixed it. Spencer had implemented a rule early on that Remy could easily get behind; at all costs, they did not go to bed mad. Spencer had told Remy that he’d slept in a bed with anger before and he refused to do it ever again.

It was a moment of revelation for Remy, here on the back porch of their house. Here, alone, he could admit at least to himself just how much Spencer had come to mean to him. When he thought of what was important, all his thoughts turned toward Spencer. When he thought of things that made him happy, Spencer was a common theme. He thought of their nightly sparring sessions and how it felt to watch Spencer's pride when he caught on to what Remy was teaching him or when he managed to do something that had been difficult. He thought of the guitars that sat on the stands in the living room that the two had started to play together. He thought of the smile Spencer had worn as he’d surprised Remy by showing him he knew far more about fixing a car than everyone thought. And he couldn’t deny it anymore, no matter how much the words scared him. He couldn’t deny the feeling that was there. He loved him. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, he loved this awkward, shy, beautiful, amazing, wonderful man.

His ringing cell phone interrupted his thoughts. Smiling, Remy pulled the phone from his jeans pocket, flipping it open without looking. “ _Bonsoir_.”

There was a pause and Remy swore he felt a chill suddenly run down his spine, chasing away the warmth that had been there only moments before. A bad feeling filled his stomach. Then the voice on the phone spoke and Remy swore the bottom dropped out of his world for just that moment. “Is this Mr. Reid?”

He didn’t want to answer, as if by not answering he wouldn’t have to hear what came next. _S’il tu plait, don’t take him from me. Not now. Not when I just figured t’ings out. Don’t take de homme from me_ he pleaded. “ _Oui_ , dis is Mr. Reid.”

“Mr. Reid, my name is Nancy and I work down in the ER at Mercy General. Your husband was brought in about twenty minutes ago…”

CXCX

Spencer sat back in his hospital bed, fighting the urge to simply get up out of the bed and leave the hospital. The very last thing he wanted to do was stay here, despite the doctors trying to insist that he do so. All he wanted right now was to be in his own home, in his own bed, with Remy beside him. Was that too much to ask for? _Apparently_ his mind added in snidely. The doctor had been insistent that he stay overnight for observation. Well, they would just see about that once the doctor finally came back in here. He’d make the man understand that he was _fine_. And if not, he could always check himself out AMA, whether they liked it or not. They could _not_ force him to stay here. It did him a little bit of good to remind himself of that.

Something pulled at Spencer's mind that he recognized instantly. It had his head shooting up, relief already filling him, just moments before the door to his room opened and Remy came tearing in. Their eyes locked and then Remy was racing right up to his bedside, deliberately choosing the side away from the machines which also put him on Spencer's injured side. Even with his shades on, it was easy to see Remy’s gaze dart to the sling Spencer's left arm rested in. Before Remy was even fully beside him, Spencer started to speak. “I’m fine. Really, Remy, I’m going to be fine. It’s just a concussion, a few bumps and bruises and my shoulder, that’s all.”

“Dat’s all, huh?” Remy snapped at him. That was enough to tell Spencer that Remy had stopped and talked to the team before coming in. Just barely did he manage not to wince. Shit. He was about to get in major trouble. He worried his bottom lip between his teeth as he watched Remy cross his arms over his chest and a glare settled on his face. “How about y’ explain to me why de hell y’ was chasing off after y’r Unsub without backup, huh? Explain dat one to me. Why exactly is it dat y’r team says y’ deliberately ignored a direct order from y’r Unit Chief and y’ went into a dangerous situation, _without y’r vest on_?”

Spencer winced at the anger in those last few words. Between the pain in his head and shoulder and his stress at being in a hospital setting, Spencer's shields weren’t up to par, so he was feeling Remy’s emotions just a little stronger than normal. He didn’t mention that, though. Instead he tried to figure out a way to talk himself out of being in trouble with his husband. “It’s not as bad as you’re making it sound there, Remy…”

“ _Excusez-moi_?”

The sharpness of that told Spencer that maybe that hadn’t been the best way to start this. He tried a different route. “It was a tactical decision that was made in an extreme situation with extenuating circumstances. Our Unsub was built small like I am and he’d escaped down into the basement through a trapdoor that was made for someone slender. If we had waited, he would’ve most likely escaped. We had no way of knowing where his secret basement led to or if he had passages out through there. Hotch wanted us to wait, but we heard noises that sounded like another door and a female cry and we couldn’t wait. Yes, I took off my vest, but only because I wouldn’t have fit otherwise. And I was the only one there that would’ve fit right.”

“So y’ went down after a psychopath, alone, without y’r vest, against de orders of y’r boss.” Remy summed up. “Without backup, without knowing what y’ was gonna be dropping in on, without being in an environment dat y’ could use certain t’ings to protect y’rself…” that part was in reference to his powers, which he wouldn’t have been able to use there without risking outing himself to the victim or the Unsub, who could in turn out him to the public “…and den what? What happened next dat’s got y’ bumped and bruised and, so I hear, almost shot.”

Oh hell. He’d _really_ been hoping Remy wouldn’t have heard about that part. Damn the team and their big mouths. Taking a deep breath, Spencer figured he was already in deep, he might as well just tell it all. “He was using her as a shield when I got down there and I tried to talk him down, just like I’m supposed to. I put as much into my words as I possibly could…” He looked at Remy, making sure the man understood what he was saying. He’d used his empathy as best as possible to try to make his words have the most effect; trying to use it to calm the man and make him a little more reasonable. Remy nodded his understanding and Spencer continued his story. “The Unsub started to lower his gun and the woman panicked. She elbowed him and ran over to me. The next thing I know, the Unsub jumped at me. It took a little bit, but I finally got him subdued and cuffed and we took his little secret exit out, where it brought us up right at the side of his house.”

One of Remy’s eyebrows rose slightly over his shades. “Don’t t’ink I didn’t notice how y’ nicely glossed over de details of y’r fighting with him.”

Actually, he’d kind of been hoping he hadn’t noticed that. “It wasn’t that bad. Really, Remy. Look at me.” Lifting one hand, he gestured to himself. “I’ve come away more injured when I’ve wrestled with Alex. The only reason the doctors are trying to keep me here is because of the concussion and that’s not really that bad. I’ve had worse. I didn’t even lose consciousness.” The throbbing at Spencer's temples increased and he winced slightly. “I don’t want to argue this right now. Now, will you come here, please?” he asked as he patted the edge of the bed.

The sight of Spencer's pain was enough to have the temper fading slightly from Remy’s face. He stepped forward and took a seat on the edge of the bed, his upper body turned to face Spencer. “ _Quoi_ , cher?”

In answer, Spencer lifted his right arm, careful not to jar his left, and he reached out to Remy, pulling him forward. Remy took no more urging than that. The older man practically melted into Spencer's embrace, curling up against his chest, tucking his face in against Spencer's neck and making sure to not press down hard on the arm in the sling. It ached a little for Spencer but he didn’t care. This was exactly what he needed. He turned his head, resting his cheek against Remy’s hair, letting himself draw in the cinnamon and vanilla scent of Remy’s shampoo, letting it soothe him. Hospitals had always been difficult for him to be in; not just his own fears, but the emotions inside of them and all the electronics that were always hooked on to him that practically begged for him to draw electricity from. He knew Remy was just as afraid, if not more so, of hospitals that he was, so this hug wasn’t just to soothe him. It was to soothe the both of them.

The two stayed there against one another, not saying another word. Not needing words, really. Warmth flowed back and forth on their link, saying so much more in that moment than words could.


	13. Chapter 13

Getting himself checked out of the hospital was far easier for Spencer than ever before. Not only did he have his own vote pushing it this time but the vote of his husband as well, who was a far smoother talker than Spencer. When it was apparent that the doctor planned on trying to keep Spencer overnight for observation, Remy had quickly stepped up and added his voice to Spencer's, assuring the doctor that Spencer would be well cared for at home. In no time flat, they had the paperwork signed for Spencer's release.

Because his shirt had been ruined in the fight, Spencer had to accept a shirt from the hospital staff. Remy helped him get it on and then pulled off his own trench to lay over Spencer's shoulders. “Dere y’ go, cher. Now let’s go stop off and see de others in de waiting room and den get y’ home. Y’ look like y’r heads pounding somet’ing fierce.”

There was no point in denying it. Remy would easily be able to feel Spencer's pain. His usual ‘I’m fine’ never worked with Remy. There was something kind of nice about not having to hide things or downplay them, though. Spencer gave a little half-smile, trying to ignore the pounding in his temples. “Home sounds nice.” Was all he said.

Remy slid his arm around Spencer's waist and pressed up against his good side. “Let’s get y’ home den.”

Together, the two made their way to the waiting room. There was no way they’d be able to get out of here without stopping and checking in with the team first. They would all want to know that he was okay and he was technically still on the clock until his boss gave him leave to go home. He had to make sure that Aaron didn’t need him to come in and do any paperwork or debrief on the night’s events first. He also had to find out what kind of repercussions would come from his actions. He’d deliberately disobeyed his Unit Chief and Aaron was not going to be happy about that.

They reached the waiting room and all it took was one look at Aaron’s face for Spencer to see that ‘not happy’ was a mild way of putting it. Great. Just great. Spencer tried to hold back the grimace that wanted to twist his features. He took a deep breath and made sure to put his shields up even stronger. Somehow he got them locked tight in just enough time. They were barely in the room before they were noticed and suddenly he was being converged on. Spencer held up his good hand to try and hold back any questions. “I’m fine guys.” He hurried to reassure them before they could ask. “Really, I am. I’m just a little tender but it’s nothing a little rest won’t help.”

“You’re in a sling, Spence. That’s not just ‘fine’.” JJ scolded him.

Absently he touched at his sling with his other hand. “Just for a few days so my shoulder has a chance to rest. The dislocation caused no other damage and was set back in within a reasonable amount of time.”

“He’ll be _bien_ wit’ a bit of rest and some TLC. I’ll get him home and take care of him, don’t y’ worry” Remy reassured them all. He rubbed his hand over Spencer's hip and brought him in just a little bit closer. The gesture was meant to be soothing to the both of them.

Humor brightened Derek’s face. He winked at the two and grinned broadly. “I just bet you will, Nurse Remy.”

The sound of laughter filled the waiting room, growing more when Spencer's cheeks flamed red and the young genius grumbled a “Shut up, Morgan” to his friend. As the laughter died down, Aaron spoke up, pulling attention towards him. “I’d like a word before you go, Reid.”

Just barely did Spencer keep from grimacing. He felt Remy give his hip a reassuring squeeze and then the man let go of him. Spencer pulled in a breath and stepped away from the group, following Aaron over to a corner of the waiting room where they could be a little more private. He knew this wasn’t going to be a pleasant conversation. That much was clear by the stern look Aaron gave him. Sure enough, as soon as they were away from everyone, his boss wasted no time in starting his lecture. “I know you’re hurting, so I’m going to make this short, Reid.” He started out in a low, even voice. “If you ever, ever, go against my orders and put yourself in danger like that again, I will pull you in for disciplinary action. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“While I understand the reasoning behind what you did, I cannot condone your actions. You put yourself and the victim at risk and you clearly ignored my order. I can’t have someone in the field that is going to go their own way, Reid. Strauss isn’t too happy with the way things happened, either. I downplayed it as much as I could but there was only so much I could do. She agreed to allow me to handle my own team, on the condition that you’re on medical leave the next two weeks.” At the look of protest that built on Spencer's face, Aaron shook his head. “Count yourself lucky, Reid. She could’ve made it longer, and she could’ve demanded it be unpaid leave. You’re getting off easy here.”

He knew it was true; he was lucky that he hadn’t gotten in worse trouble. If Strauss was putting pressure on Aaron to deal with this than two weeks leave was definitely the best case scenario. Though Aaron didn’t come right out and say it, Spencer knew his boss would’ve had to do some fast talking to convince the woman to back off enough to let him handle his team. _This is your own fault, anyways. You did this knowing that you would get in trouble. You’ve no one to blame but yourself_. Reminding himself of that helped him pushed down everything else and meet his Unit Chief’s eyes with a steady gaze of his own. “Thank you, Sir. I appreciate it. And I apologize for causing you any undue trouble.”

The hard look in Aaron’s eyes softened just the slightest bit. The friend inside shone through for a moment. “Like I said, I understand why you did what you did, Reid. And…” He paused, debating for a second, before saying “I probably would’ve made the same decision if I were you. But it was still a reckless thing to do. If something happened to you, there are people here who would be hurt by it. I don’t want to ever have to make that phone call to tell your husband I let something happen to you on the job.”

Spencer's eyes drifted to where Remy still stood with the team, talking animatedly about something that had the group smiling. Despite his smile, his body was just faintly tense, his smile off by just the slightest bit. Part of that was probably because of where they were. But Spencer knew that the other part of it was concern for him. It was obvious in the way Remy’s eyes kept drifting towards him and how his body was angled, almost as if he were ready to dart over if it became necessary.

A hand settled on Spencer's good shoulder. When he looked back over, Aaron was giving him a kind look. “Go home, Reid. Go rest. You’ve got the next two weeks off. If I were you, I’d make the best of them.”

That was an order Spencer could easily follow. “Yes, Sir. Thank you.”

CXCX

Spencer and Remy didn’t speak on the way home. They were content for the moment to hold hands in the quiet of the car and simply draw comfort from the presence of the other. It allowed Spencer's head a rest, which was wonderful, seeing as how it felt like little men with jackhammers were trying to break their way out of his skull, through his temples. Once they arrived home, the two stayed just as quiet as they got inside. By mutual agreement they headed straight back to the bedroom.

As was habit, the first thing Remy did was take his sunglasses and set them on the dresser. Then he took hold of his jacket, helping Spencer slide it off. Once that was draped on a bedpost, Remy helped him untie the hospital shirt and slide it off. Spencer was watching and he saw the flash in Remy’s eyes when the shirt was gone and his injuries were fully visible. “He’s in a jail cell, Remy.” Spencer said quietly. He knew that protective look on Remy’s face and he knew it was a good thing the man was locked away, far out of Remy’s reach.

“He hurt y’.” Remy lifted a hand, tracing it over a bruise on Spencer's stomach, not too dark or deep, but still a dark splotch on pale skin. “Can’t help it, _mon mari_. Makes me wanna find de _connard_ and mark him de way he’s marked y’.” His gaze lifted to Spencer's shoulder and this time he gave a wince in sympathy. The bruising there was definitely darkening already. “ _Dieu_ , y’ got y’r shoulder bad, didn’t y’?”

“It hit against a support beam when I was trying to block a blow.” And oh, how that had _hurt_. He could clearly remember the pain that had ran through him like a white hot knife.

A sympathetic sound came from Remy and then the man was bending in, pressing soft lips against the darkest part of the bruise. He stepped close and Spencer hooked his good arm around his waist, bringing him in even closer. It allowed Spencer to tuck his head in against Remy’s neck and just breathe for a moment. Never would he admit to anyone just how hard this night had been for him. How terrified he’d been when the Unsub had turned that gun his direction and he’d thought for just one minute that he wouldn’t be able to move fast enough. He wouldn’t tell anyone just how close things really had come tonight. But he would stand here now in the circle of Remy’s arms and draw strength from him in a way he’d never been able to with anyone else before. He would hold on to the one person he’d been thinking of ever since he’d come out of that house and passed the Unsub off to other officers. Since then, all he had wanted was to be here, with Remy, just like this.

He didn’t have to say any of it, though. Remy just seemed to understand. He cradled Spencer close to him with an embrace that was both strong and yet gentle. “I got y’, _mon mari._ Y’r okay now. I got y’.”

There, held in a place he felt safe, with a person he trusted with his very life, Spencer did something that was very hard for him to do. He asked for help. “I need a favor, Remy.”

“What is it?”

“Don’t let me leave the house tonight. No matter how I act or what I do, don’t let me leave.” In that question was a much deeper meaning that he prayed Remy would understand.

He did. Remy caught on instantly to Spencer's meaning. This wasn’t just asking to keep him at home. It was asking to help keep him home where he wouldn’t be able to give in to the addict that lived inside of him, who was whispering to him that one hit would take away all the pain. _It helps_ that voice whispered, sounding so much like Tobias that it made Spencer shiver. In response, Remy held him just a little closer. “I won’t let y’ outta m’ sight.” He promised quietly. A kiss was pressed against Spencer's hair. “C’mon, cher. Let’s get y’ in de tub and clean y’ up and den I’ll rub some of dat cream on y’r bruises fo’ y’. Just put y’rself in m’ hands tonight, _bébé_. I’ll take care of y’.”

That was exactly what Spencer did. He turned himself over to Remy’s caring hands and just let the man take care of him. Remy got him into the tub and climbed in with him, spooning their bodies together in the warmth of the bath. He even washed Spencer's hair for him, since Spencer only had one arm to work with. Spencer had never had someone wash his hair for him before and he almost melted down into the tub at how amazingly good it felt to have Remy’s fingers massaging at his scalp. It felt like he wasn’t just washing his hair, but washing away his headache as well.

From there, Remy got him out and into the bedroom where he helped him into a pair of lounge pants. Then he made good on the rest of his promise and he put some of that cream he kept for bruises. Afterwards, neither man was ready for bed, but neither were they up for much else. They settled for curling up on the couch and sticking on some music. Remy brought out a glass of wine for Spencer and a beer for himself. As soon as Remy sat down, Spencer reached out to pull him in close. It wasn’t uncommon for one to curl against the other in the corner of the couch. Before he could lie back, though, Remy stopped and said “Wait a sec, cher.” He quickly grabbed one of the couch pillows and put it on Spencer's lap, resting against the armrest. Then he laid himself back on it. It let him lay on Spencer's lap, a common enough position for them, but it propped his head up so he wasn’t pressing on bruises and he could still drink his beer. Also, it let the arm that was in the sling rest on Remy’s chest, easing some of the pressure on it.

Spencer looked down at the face below him and felt his lips start to curve. After taking a sip, he set his wine glass on the end table beside him and then brought his hand to Remy’s hair. He loved to run his fingers through the silky locks. How many times had they sat together like this in the past five months? Remy loved having his hair played with almost as much, if not more, than Spencer loved to do it. Spencer had noticed that Remy had been letting his hair grow, too. When he’d first met him, Remy’s hair had come almost to his shoulders. Remy had told him that it had been cut short when he was healing so that it would be easier for him to care for. But he hadn’t cut it since then and it now hung a few inches below his shoulders. It was a good look for him. _Then again, the man looks good no matter what, which is completely unfair._ The thought made him chuckle softly.

“What’s got y’ smiling like dat?” Shamelessly, Remy arched his head up into Spencer's touch.

Seeing that gesture had Spencer chuckling again. He scraped his nails over Remy’s scalp and caught a faint hint of that purr he loved so much to hear. “I still say you have to be part cat, Remy.”

Remy wrinkled his nose and gave him a small scowl before closing his eyes and settling back more comfortably on the pillow. “Y’ hush. How many times I gotta tell y’, I aint no cat.”

“That argument would become more effective if you weren’t purring, honey.”

One of Remy’s eyes cracked open to peek at him before the man gave in and chuckled. He let his eyes slip closed once more and took a pull off his beer. “So, now dat we’re all nice and snuggled in, what’d Aaron have to say to y’ at de hospital? Y’ sure didn’t look too happy wit’ it.”

He’d known that eventually Remy was going to ask him about that. The man had good timing with it, too. They were both relaxed enough that the conversation would be easier. Spencer kept carding his fingers through Remy’s hair, watching the way the light shone on the silky locks, focusing on that and the warmth of Remy’s emotions to help him keep this peaceful feeling while he gave Remy a quick summary of what Aaron had said. When he was done, Remy stayed quiet for a little bit and Spencer was content with that.

They were both still and quiet long enough that Spencer thought maybe Remy had fallen asleep in his lap. It wouldn’t be the first time. But then Remy spoke in a soft, slightly hesitant voice, and what he said was the very last thing that Spencer had expected to hear. “Y’ know, we’re coming up on our five month anniversary next week. If y’ve got two weeks off, why don’t we take advantage of it and take a trip? We can…we can go and visit y’r _frère._ I know y’ been missing Scotty somet’ing fierce.”

Surprise had Spencer's hand freezing in Remy’s hair. He looked down at his husband’s face, unable to find his words at first. Remy’s eyes were still closed but his face had gone slightly tight and his emotions were no longer warm and easy. Tension ran through his whole body. That right there prompted Spencer's answer without him even having to think about it. “I told you, we don’t have to do this until you’re ready, Remy.”

“I aint ever gonna be ready, Spencer.” Remy opened his eyes and looked right up at Spencer with all his nerves written right there in the open for anyone to see. “If y’ let me, I’ll probably hide away here fo’ever. And dat aint fair to y’ and it aint fair to y’r family. Plus, de longer we put dis off, de more upset Scotty’s gonna be. It’s already been almost five months.” He lifted his free hand and laid it over the hand that rested on his chest. “I’ve been t’inking about dis fo’ a while now. I can do dis, _mon mari_. I promise.”

Spencer twisted his hand a little so theirs sat palm to palm. He wanted to question Remy, to make sure that he really was ready for something like this. But the look Remy was giving him said just how serious he was about this. Drawing in a deep breath, Spencer sighed it out. “Okay.” He carefully squeezed the hand that he held. “Okay. We’ll go and visit, then. I usually stay at Scott’s condo when I come in, but we can get a hotel room if you’d prefer.”

Something crossed Remy’s face and the young Cajun bit his bottom lip, worrying it between his teeth. His eyes dropped down to look at their joined hands. All of a sudden Remy looked just as shy and hesitant as he had back at the beginning. The confidence that he’d been slowly gaining was nowhere in sight right now. “Would y’ mind staying at a hotel? I just, I t’ink it’d be smarter, y’ know…just in case. I mean, dere aint no telling how Cyke’s gonna react to dis. He’s already gonna be upset wit’ Remy fo’ all dis. Staying at his place might not be de best idea, _non_?”

The slip into third-person speech said clearer than anything else just how worried about this Remy was. He hadn’t used third-person speech for the past three months, except for a short bit on the night of the Massacre anniversary. Otherwise, he’d kept up the first person speech. To hear him revert back now had Spencer aching inside. He wanted to wrap his arms around Remy and cradle him close and reassure him that everything was going to be okay. Only, he couldn’t hold him with both arms right now, and he couldn’t make that kind of promise either. He didn’t know how everything was going to go. Spencer had to settle for doing the only thing he could do. He bent down, wincing only slightly at the pull on his bruises, and he smoothed Remy’s bangs back from his forehead so he could press a kiss there. “We can get a hotel.” He promised softly. “But I want you to know right now that Scott’s reaction to this is his own business. If he’s bothered by this, by us, then it’s his problem. I’m not letting you go, Remy. Not for anyone.”

Remy murmured something so soft that Spencer couldn’t hear it and he turned his face in to press against Spencer's bare stomach. Spencer felt the tumult of his emotions and knew that he needed to give him a second to gather his composure. Eventually, Remy’s emotions evened out once more and he drew in a deep, steadying breath. Only then did he look back up at Spencer. His expression was calmer and more in control, less like he was going to break. “How soon y’ wanna leave?”

Now that the decision had been made, they needed to get it done and over with .The longer the waited the harder it was going to be and the more stressed they’d both get. “We can look online later for a hotel and maybe be out of here in the morning time.” The sooner the better. The easy nod from Remy told Spencer that he must’ve been thinking the same thing. The sooner they did this the better it would be for all parties. But for now, he didn’t want to think any more on this. He just wanted to relax. With a small bit of concentration, he reached out to the stereo and tweaked at its electricity until the volume went up a few levels and Beethoven filled the air. Comfortable with one another, the two had no problem sitting quietly and finishing their drinks.

It didn’t take long with Spencer stroking at Remy’s hair once more before the man fell asleep. That had been exactly what Spencer had wanted, too. He waited a little longer, watching as the lines faded off Remy’s face, as he gained that so-innocent look he got while sleeping. Once he was sure the man was fully asleep, he set his wine glass down once more and picked up the cordless off the end table. He dialed the familiar number before cradling the phone between his good shoulder and his ear. That allowed him to go back to playing with Remy’s hair, keeping him calm and keeping Remy sleeping.

It only took two rings before Alex’s voice came on the line. “ _Hey, pidge! How goes it?_ ”

“It goes.” Wasting no time, not wanting Remy to wake up and hear him, Spencer dove right in to what he wanted, his eyes locked on his husband’s face the entire time. “Hey, Lex, are you doing anything the next few days? Rem and I could really use some backup, if you’re free…”

CXCX

Morning came all too quickly for the Reid household. When Spencer woke at his usual early time, it didn’t surprise him to find that Remy was already awake. Not only awake, but drinking a cup of coffee and sitting at the table with a laptop, looking fresh from the shower. The minute Spencer came out of the hall and into the dining room, Remy looked up. A nervous smile tugged at his lips. “ _Bonjour, mon mari._ How y’ feeling dis morning?”

“Like I went a few rounds with the football team.” The sarcastic response slid out before he could stop it. Grimacing, Spencer pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a second to take a deep breath. “Sorry.”

Remy pushed up from his chair and came over to him. He brought one hand up to brush the bangs back from Spencer's face. “It’s fine, cher. Y’ always get a little snarky when y’r hurting. It doesn’t bother me. Why don’t y’ have a seat and I’ll bring y’ over y’r coffee?”

“That would be heavenly.”

While Remy prepared a cup of coffee for him, Spencer stiffly made his way to the table and slid into a chair. He curled his legs up with only a slight wince. Bruising and such always felt worse the second day around. With his good hand he adjusted his other arm inside the sling, trying to get it into a more comfortable position. After a bit he gave it up as a lost cause. It wasn’t going to get any more comfortable. He hated that he had to use the damn thing at all, but his shoulder was extremely bruised and painful this morning and it left him no real choice. He’d tried to go through something as simple as using the restroom and brushing his teeth without the sling on and it had hurt far more than he wanted to admit to. So, grudgingly, he had the stupid sling on.

A coffee cup was set on the table in front of him and a kiss was dropped on the top of his head. “Y’ take one of y’r ibuprofen yet?”

“I did.” His first sip of coffee had Spencer sighing and closing his eyes. Remy made a wonderful cup of coffee. When Spencer opened his eyes, he found Remy sitting in front of the laptop again, smiling slightly at the obvious enjoyment on Spencer's face. The Cajun chuckled at him. “Y’r so easy, cher.”

“Only for you.”

That drew a real smile from Remy, lighting up his eyes in the way that Spencer loved to see. “Hush now, y’ tease. Y’r in no shape fo’ dat and y’ know it.”

A corner of Spencer's lips quirked up in an amused little half-grin. “I suppose you’re right. I wouldn’t really be able to do much, what with my shoulder and the other bruises. That’d make it a little difficult to move. You’d pretty much have to do all the work while I just lay there. I’d essentially be at your mercy.”

The heat that leapt into Remy and the way his eyes flashed had Spencer smirking into his coffee cup. He’d known what reaction his words would get him. That had been the whole point. Tired and sore and slightly cranky though he may be, it wasn’t hard for Spencer to profile Remy and figure out that not only had the man been up for a while, but that he’d been up stressing. If some flirting and such helped to ease him a little, it was well worth it. Not to mention that flirting with Remy was always fun. Pleased with the response he’d gotten, Spencer put on his most innocent look and tipped his head toward the laptop, completely changing the subject. “What’re you up to there?”

Remy stared at him for a moment, the debate obvious on his face. Then he shook his head. “Like I said, y’r a damn tease.” He grumbled playfully. “Anyways, I was looking online at hotels. Founds us a place, _mais_ I didn’t know how long y’ wanted to stay, so I didn’t know how long to book it fo’.”

“A few days, I’d think. Time enough to get the important things dealt with and then a bit of time to visit as well. So, what do you think? Three, four days?”

“Four sounds like a good number, to be on de safe side.” He started to move his finger over the mouse pad on the laptop, clicking on a few things here and there. At the same time, he asked “When did y’ want to leave? Check in at dis place can be as early as ten and it’s takes a few hours to get dere, depending on how y’ wanna go.”

Spencer took another drink off his coffee to give himself a second to think. He settled back in his chair, adjusting until he was as comfortable as he was going to get. That ache as he adjusted helped him to figure out his answer. “By car would probably be easiest. If we take the I-95 North, it’s about a four hour drive. If we left within the next hour, we could arrive between noon and one pm. That is, if you don’t mind driving.”

A few more clicks and then Remy was leaning back and closing the laptop. He looked up at Spencer with a smile. “ _Non_ , I don’t mind. _Tu sais_ I like to drive. If we’re gonna leave in de next hour, we’ll need to get some t’ings packed. I can t’row together a bag or two fo’ us.”

“That’s fine. While you take care of that, would you mind handing me my cell phone? I’ve got to make a quick call before we go. I need to give Scott a heads up that I’m coming so he can make sure his afternoon is free.”

When Remy brought his phone over to him, Spencer tipped his face up in silent appeal and was rewarded with a heated kiss that curled his toes. He was breathing just a little heavier when they broke apart, causing Remy to smirk at him. “Dat’s what y’ get fo’ teasing _moi_.” Remy said with a wink. He quickly darted out of reach of the grab that Spencer made for him, laughing as he did. Spencer shook his head at him but he was smiling all the while. “Two can play that game, Remy.” He warned him at the same time that he started to dial Scott’s number. Putting the phone up to his ear, he lifted his eyebrows in a warning look. “Just you remember that.”

“Bring it on. I told y’ a’fore, I love a challenge.”

Before Spencer got the chance to respond, the ringing stopped and Scott’s voice was suddenly on the line. “ _About damn time you called me_.” His brother said in lieu of a normal greeting. “ _I’ve barely spoken to you lately. This better be more than just a quick minute call like the last one, Sherlock, or I swear I’m going to take a leaf out of Alex’s book and come up there to beat you_.”

“I’m much prefer you refrained from that.” Spencer said dryly. He rolled his eyes and took a drink off his coffee, watching over the top of his mug as Remy started to clean up his own cup at the sink. He couldn’t help but stare a little. Remy was in lazy, around the house clothes, which meant he was in a long sleeved shirt and faded and torn jeans that fit him, well, perfectly. While he washed out his cup, it gave Spencer a perfect view of the man’s backside and he had no qualms about sitting there and enjoying it.

On the phone, Scott scoffed lightly. “ _Well, quit avoiding me and we won’t have that problem, now will we?_ ” He threatened. With the bluntness he was known for with his brothers, he added “ _You’ve been avoiding me and keeping secrets for a while now, Sherlock, and I’m getting tired of being patient. What is going on with you? You’re worrying me._ ”

“Boy, you just jump right in, don’t you? Not even a normal ‘hi, how are you?’ You just go straight to demanding. That’s rather rude, you know.”

“ _I never claimed to be the polite brother. Especially not when it comes to things that concern my family. And you’re being evasive._ ”

Humor quirked Spencer's lips. He tipped his head, watching as Remy bent to grab the trash can from the cupboard, most likely going to take the trash out so it wouldn’t stay in the house the whole time they were gone. It had him bending and gave Spencer an even better view than before. He bit his lip for a second, holding in a little hum of appreciation. Remy must’ve felt the change in Spencer's emotions because he turned his head to look at him, smirking when he caught Spencer staring. The young genius didn’t even bother to hide it. He just grinned. With a low chuckle, Remy turned back to the trash can, giving his hips a wiggle that had Spencer's grin growing wider.

A sound on the other end of the line reminded Spencer that his brother was still waiting for him to talk. “Oh! Sorry, Scotty. I got distracted.” Those words earned him another laugh from Remy. Ignoring it, Spencer tried to pay attention to his phone call once more. “Actually, I wasn’t intending on being evasive. What you’re asking about is the whole reason I’m calling. I do want to talk to you about what’s been going on. Do you think you’d be free this afternoon? I’ve got some time off from work and I thought I’d come visit. I should be there by close to one, so I was thinking we might be able to meet up at, say, two or three for a late lunch, early dinner. Would that work for you?”

He could clearly hear Scott’s surprise in his reply. “ _You’re coming out here? I mean, that’s great, Spence. That’s fantastic. I can make sure I have the afternoon free, no problem._ ”

“Wonderful. When I get close, I’ll text you the exact time to meet as well as the address. I’m not sure yet of the name of the hotel I’ll be staying at…”

Remy turned to look at him and quietly called out “De Pearl.”

Surprise lit Spencer's face. The Pearl? That was an extremely nice hotel. He cocked his head, his look questioning, and Remy just smirked. Spencer couldn’t help but chuckle at him. “Okay, I stand corrected. Apparently we’ll be at the Pearl. I’ll text you our room number, then, and what time to be there, and I’ll make sure to order some room service. This is a conversation that is probably best kept private, if you don’t mind.”

“ _We?_ ” Scott latched on to that one word out of the whole conversation. “ _Who is ‘we’? And why are you staying at a hotel and not the condo like normal?_ ”

“We’re staying at the hotel because we want to.” Spencer set his cup down on the table and took one last, deep breath before committing himself to this. _Now or never_. “As for who the ‘we’ is, well, that’s the reason I’m coming out. I have someone I’d like you to meet. I figured it was about time my husband met the rest of my family.”

“ _You’re_ what _?_ ” Scott demanded at the same time that Remy spun around, eyes wide, gaping at him.

Spencer just smiled at Remy and spoke over top of Scott. “I’ll explain it all when we see you. As I said, I’ll text you when we’re there, Scotty. See you soon.” And without giving Scott a chance to say anything else, Spencer hung up the phone. The instant the call was ended, he turned his phone off as well. That took care of one person; it left him with just one more to deal with. Remy was still standing there, staring in shock. “Y’…y’ just…”

Humor quirked Spencer's lips. Carefully, he braced one hand on the table, bracing to straighten his body from the chair. Once he was on his feet he finished off the last of his cup and carried it over to the coffee pot. He set about making himself a second cup while he explained himself to Remy. “Trust me, it’s better this way. If there are any people in the world that I know inside and out, it would be my brothers. Alex has a flash and burn temper that fades quickly, so with him it’s best to tell him something to his face and then let him rage for a bit and then you’re fine. But with Scott, Alex and I have learned that it’s better to drop something on him and then give him his space.” Spencer paused and took a testing sip of his coffee, nodding at the flavor. It wasn’t as good as Remy could make—he had no idea what the man did to make a cup of coffee taste so good—but it was good enough. He held the cup with one hand and turned to rest his backside against the counter, allowing him to look at Remy’s face. “By telling him that part now, I’m giving him all the way until our arrival to come to terms with the fact. Not to say that he’ll be any more pleased when he meets with us. In fact, he’ll have had more time to come up with countless questions. But he’ll have processed it enough that he’ll be more open to my answers. If I told him when we arrived and faced it all down right then, he’d ask me questions but his temper would be too high to truly hear the answers.”

For one long moment Remy just continued to stare at him. Then he shook his head. “It’s like I said back in de beginning. Y’r sneakier dan y’ look, _mon mari._ Bless y’r heart fo’ it.”


	14. Chapter 14

Never had there been a more nerve-wracking drive for Remy. With every mile that brought them closer to New York, he grew more and more tense. Spencer, bless him, tried to help diffuse that tension. He tried to talk to him or distract him. But eventually he seemed to realize that none of it was going to work. There was nothing he could say at the moment that would serve as a good enough distraction. So he settled for curling up in his seat and closing his eyes, letting himself drift a little. With his left arm in the sling, he couldn’t reach out to Remy physically. Instead, he sent him a wordless pulse of affection, trust, and comfort that felt like little warm fuzzies inside Remy’s mind. The Cajun drew those feelings in and tried to hold on to them against the cold that kept trying to creep in.

Being with Spencer had helped Remy to feel like he was finally starting to heal inside. The wounds that had once felt jagged and bleeding had been slowly healing over. Remy knew how broken he’d been when he had first met Spencer in that bar. He’d been so full of guilt and grief and self-hatred. But since his marriage, since Spencer, that had been changing. Day by day he felt like he was finding his way back to himself. Not to who he had been before, no. The person he had been before the Trial wasn’t truly him, either. He could admit that now. The person he’d been then was just another shield, another cover to keep him safe and protected. True, he had let more out there than he ever had anywhere else. He’d been more himself with the X-Men than he had ever been around anyone but his family. Yet still he’d hidden behind masks and shields. He’d been more ‘Gambit’ than Remy. The person he was now was more true to himself than he’d ever been.

It was a heady feeling, to know that he was not only wanted, but wanted just for being him. Not because of some mask he put on, or something he could do, or what he could offer. He wasn’t wanted because of a reputation, or shunned because of that reputation. He was free simply to be himself. Spencer didn’t ask any more from him. But now that they were heading to New York, now that he was going to have to face those that he’d left behind, all those old doubts and fears and his guilt all came crashing back in on him. How the hell was he going to do this? How was he going to face any of them?

He felt a sudden hand at his pocket and he jerked his eyes off the road for a moment to sneak a look down at where Spencer had twisted and slid his good hand into the outer pocket of Remy’s trench. “What’re y’ doing, Spencer?”

“Roll down your window.” Spencer replied. He pulled his hand out and Remy saw the pack of cigarettes and lighter there.

Surprised, Remy snuck a few quick looks at Spencer's face while still keeping an eye on the road. “Spencer?”

“You’ve been tapping your fingers incessantly on the steering wheel and your body is so tight you look like you’d break apart with one wrong touch, not to mention the fact that I can feel the whirlwind of emotions that are ripping you apart inside.” He lifted one cigarette and put it to Remy’s lips. “Roll the window down and have a cigarette before we both go a little crazy, Rem.”

What else could he do? Remy took the cigarette between his lips and rolled his window down while Spencer flicked the lighter to life. A few puffs and Remy had the cigarette lit. He took a deep drag before taking the cigarette with his left hand, keeping it near the window and as far away from Spencer as he could manage. That first drag had the tension in his shoulders easing ever so slightly. Spencer saw it and gave a nod as he put the cigarettes and lighter back in Remy’s jacket. “There. Better?”

“Some. _Merci._ ” Remy took another drag and let a little more tension bleed away. The quick look he gave Spencer this time carried a hint of apology to it. “ _Désolé, mon mari_. I know I’m worrying y’.”

Spencer shrugged his shoulder automatically. The gesture had his whole body going still and his eyes slamming shut. Remy felt the pain flash over him and knew that he’d jarred his shoulder with that shrug. Thinking of Spencer's injuries didn’t help Remy’s mood any, though it shifted his worry from himself to his husband. The urge to go and find the bastard that had dared to hurt Spencer was still strong inside of Remy. It reared up each time he saw the bruising on that otherwise pale skin. Or each time he had to look over and see that sling. That got to Remy more than anything else. Spencer tried to claim that his shoulder wasn’t all that bad and that he’d only need the sling for a few days. Remy had seen the bruising, though, and he had watched Spencer move, watched him wince even in his sleep. That shoulder pained him more than he was admitting to and Remy knew he was going to have to keep an eye on him to make sure that Spencer didn’t push it too hard.

A sideways look from Spencer told Remy that his change in emotions hadn’t gone unnoticed. Sure enough, Spencer said “I’m _fine_ , Remy. I just need to remember not to shrug that shoulder.”

“I don’t t’ink y’r definition of fine fo’ y’rself is any better dan mine is fo’ me.”

“There is nothing wrong with my assessment of my own wellbeing. I know my limits and I know what I can and cannot handle. This is nothing I cannot handle. It also isn’t what I wanted to spend time talking with you about.”

That professional, slightly snooty tone actually had Remy wanting to smile slightly. Spencer only got that tone when he was feeling defensive and wanted to switch the topic, and the attention, off of him. For the moment Remy decided to let him off the hook. He’d bug him about his shoulder later and try to get a better answer out of him. “All right, I’ll bite. What was it y’ wanted to talk about?”

“Actually, I wanted to, um….” All of a sudden Spencer's voice and emotions lost their steady edge and became just a bit nervous.  Only for a second, though, and then Spencer was shielding himself and Remy felt nothing from him. When Spencer spoke again, his voice was even once more, almost flat. Definitely a sign of repressing emotion. “I wanted to speak with you about my brothers. About my family.”

His family? Remy took another nervous pull off the cigarette. “What about y’r family?”

“Well, we haven’t really discussed them ever since you discovered who my brothers were. I know I explained some things early on, before you knew who they were. I told you how I, I was adopted out and raised by cousins of my real mother. You’ve seen Alex and I together and how we can be with one another. But, uh, you’ve never seen Scotty and I together.” Spencer shifted around in his seat, his eyes down on his lap where he was fiddling with the knee of his pants. “There are some things I want to explain now, so you understand before you see it.”

Now this hadn’t been at all what he’d expected. Remy held on to the wheel with one hand and reached out with the other to rub at Spencer's thigh for a second. “Y’ don’t have to, Spencer.”

But Spencer was already shaking his head. “No, I do. You of all people have the right to know. It ties in with other things I know you’ve probably wondered about but you’ve never asked. Just, just let me get this all out, okay?”

“ _D’accord._ ”

“Thank you.” Once more Spencer shifted around, this time turning himself into a position that let his hair slide down to shelter his face while still allowing him to discreetly watch his husband. Remy recognized the pose because he’d used it so many times himself. It only increased his worry. He said nothing, however. He just kept quiet and let Spencer get to this in his own time. Something told him that not only was this important, it was difficult for Spencer to get out, and he wasn’t going to pressure him to talk.

They rode in silence for a few minutes while Spencer gathered his thoughts and Remy wondered what was going on. Eventually, Spencer spoke again, his voice soft. “When I was in college, I dated someone. Someone…quite a bit older than me.” He paused and made a soft scoffing sound. “Scott would protest the word ‘dated’. But that was what I believed at the time. I met Jesse when I first started at Caltech. He was assigned as my mentor, there to show me around campus and to help me adjust to the school. I remember thinking how, how kind and understanding he was. He was one of the only people I’d met that didn’t seem bothered by my age or my intelligence. He didn’t act threatened by it like most did.”

His age? It took just a split second for it to click in Remy’s mind. Spencer had said before that he’d graduated high school at age twelve. “Spencer, how old were y’ when y’ started college?”

“A month over thirteen.” Spencer answered. His voice stayed just as soft, just as even. “I can tell you’re already figuring it out. I don’t imagine it’s hard to see where my story is going. First, Jesse was just keeping an eye on me. Then he made himself my friend, helping me adjust to campus life and keeping me protected from bullies, earning my trust. He courted me, as silly as that may sound. All very carefully, of course. He made sure I knew that he could get in trouble if people found out about us. He was twenty seven, I was thirteen. If the police discovered it, he would be arrested and I’d never get to see him again, and that thought was devastating to me.”

Remy’s cigarette had burned away while he listened to Spencer's story and he ground it out in the ashtray with the mental note to clean that out later. No sooner had he ground it out than he lit himself another one, not even thinking about it. His attention was divided between driving safely, listening to Spencer's story, and cursing steadily in his mind at this Jesse bastard.

“I was so convinced we were in love.” Spencer chuckled and tipped his head down just a bit lower. “It was an amazing thing for me, to feel someone who wanted me the way that Jesse did. My empathy, I didn’t have the absolute best control over it then. If someone’s emotions were strong enough, I could lose myself to it, and I willingly lost myself in his emotions sometimes. It only took a month of our secret dating before we slept together for the first time. I didn’t, well, I didn’t enjoy it, but he told me that was normal. That I’d get used to the pain that came with it. Eventually I learned that, if I let myself feel what he felt, I could enjoy it. It took me years to realize that the pain he caused wasn’t normal. You’ve…you’ve felt the scars left from him; the internal ones. I know you have, even if you’ve never asked about them.”

A low oath slid from Remy. Spencer just kept talking as if he hadn’t heard it. “It went on for about eight months before the truth came out. Scott and Alex came to visit me on a weekend I was home. After Scott went to bed, Alex pulled out a bottle of booze he’d snuck over with him and he…convinced me to drink with him.” The chuckle Spencer let out this time was more honest than the last had been. “He bet me that he could handle his liquor better than I could. Scott says it’s the Vegas in me, but I never can resist a bet. So I was matching him shot for shot and we both got pretty well drunk and somehow, I found myself telling Alex all about Jesse. The next day, while Mom was in one of her medicated sleeps, Alex went and told Scott and then the two confronted me. Needless to say, things ended there. I fought them hard and managed to keep them from pressing charges but I couldn’t stop them from going and having a little ‘talk’ with him. I never saw Jesse after that. And Scott got me in to a doctor, got me checked over, and he got me in with a counselor.”

Now, Spencer lifted his head. Now, he looked right to Remy. “I’m not telling you because I want you to feel sorry for me or because I’m angling for something. I’m telling you because, as my husband, you deserve to know, and because you deserve to know why Scott’s going to be a little overprotective and maybe knowing this will help you be a little patient with him. He was always overprotective of me, considering certain things. But after that, he became even more so, especially if he thought I was interested in someone. I can only imagine how he’s going to be about me being married. I don’t want you taking it personally.”

Remy tried to think of something to say to this. He tried to think of some kind of response to give that didn’t involve hunting down and beating a man who thought it was all right to manipulate _children_. Out of nowhere he flipped his blinker on and pulled over on the side of the road, bringing the car to a stop on the shoulder. No sooner had he put the car in park than he was grinding out what was left of his cigarette and turning towards Spencer. He reached out and took Spencer's free hand, threading their fingers together, lifting his eyes to meet Spencer's surprised ones. “I’ve got a few t’ings to say, and it’s m’ turn to talk now, Spencer. _D’accord_?”

Nerves danced over Spencer's face and had his hand trembling for a second before he firmed it back up. “Okay.”

“ _Bon_. First t’ings first, I want to tell y’ _merci_ fo’ trusting me with dat story. I know dat was hard fo’ y’ to tell _moi_. Second, and I can’t resist saying dis, _mais_ I wish I could go back in time and kick de bastard’s ass fo’ preying on y’, on anyone, at dat age.” He saw Spencer was about to say something and he held a finger up to keep him quiet. “ _Non_ , Spencer. Y’ and I both know dat y’ was too young, no matter y’r intelligence. Y’ was way too young. _Mais_ we won’t get into dat right now. De third t’ing I wanna say is dat I understand why y’ told me and I appreciate de heads up. Y’r right, it’ll help me understand and be patient with Scotty if he gets overprotective. Now, fo’ de last t’ing.”

For this part, Remy lifted his free hand and brushed back Spencer's hair so that he could cup his cheek. He stroked his thumb over that high cheekbone, taking just a second to look into the unique eyes he so loved. Spencer hadn’t bothered to put his contacts in yet, instead opting to keep sunglasses close by just in case. It allowed Remy to see the eyes he loved and that were such good indicators to Spencer's mood. Right now the sparks in them were muted and dull, a good sign of how nervous he was. Remy stared into them and he felt his heart swell just slightly. How had it taken him so long to recognize this sensation as love? He couldn’t believe he’d just figured it out yesterday. As he stared at Spencer, it felt like he’d always loved him. Like he always had and always would. That love warmed his voice and softened his features now. “All of dis, everyt’ing y’ just told me, it don’t change a t’ing. It’s just like y’ told me last night. I’m not letting y’ go, Spencer. Not fo’ anyone or anyt’ing. Y’r stuck with me, _mon mari._ ”

The sparks in Spencer's eyes brightened little by little, coming to life in that firework show that Remy loved to see. Purples and pinks and blues flashed at him. He could see that he’d managed to make Spencer speechless; a hard thing to do. Instead of speaking, Spencer just leaned in and Remy took the offered kiss, letting it heat him from the inside out.

When they pulled apart, both of them were smiling. Remy turned to face the road once more, letting go of Spencer's hand to put the car back in gear. As he moved back onto the interstate, he let that hand drop to Spencer's thigh and curl there. His words there at the end hadn’t just reassured Spencer; they’d reassured him as well. They helped to remind him that, no matter what anyone here said, no matter what they did, he wasn’t alone. He had someone with him who was on his side. Someone who knew the whole story and hadn’t judged him in the least for it. Reminding himself of that made it just a little easier to face what was ahead of them. Let the others throw their accusations at him. Let them condemn him for what he’d done. He could put up with it for a few days. Then, he and Spencer would go back home, and the others would stay here. And that was all that mattered.

He knew this peaceful feeling probably wouldn’t last real long. He’d made the vow not to care before and it never held up when he was faced with other people’s anger or hatred or grief. But for now, he let that peaceful calm fill him. He let himself live in the illusion that everything was going to be okay. Because sometimes in life he’d found that the only way to get through some things was to lie to yourself until you couldn’t any longer. Maybe that wasn’t the healthiest solution, but it had gotten him through a lot of things he hadn’t been sure he’d survive. It would work now. It had to.

CXCX

Spencer kept his cell phone off for the whole drive, knowing that Scott would’ve tried to call him back. He didn’t bother turning it back on until they were inside their hotel room, which was really quite a nice room. The Pearl was a nice hotel. As they’d made their way to the room, Remy told him that he’d stayed here quite a few times before and they had good service.

“It’s a nice place.” Spencer said admiringly as they strolled down the hall.

“If we’re gonna do dis, we might as well do dis right. Dis is my treat fo’ us. We stay here, we’re staying in comfort, _mon mari_.”

He followed Remy into the room and smiled at what he saw. Remy had gotten them a superior king suite with a balcony. The balcony would be the compromise for them. Since Remy wouldn’t smoke in room, he needed the balcony to be able to go to so he could smoke. The room opened to the living area first, with a couch and a chairs and the flat screen that was up on the wall. Further in, there was a wall that worked as a divider between the living space and the bedroom. That quick look was all he really got of the main area before Remy was gesturing him in and taking his coat for him.

From the spot on the lush bed where Remy had practically ordered him to sit, Spencer let his phone power up and he watched as Remy set their suitcases on top of the dresser. He had to shake his head at Remy’s protective pampering. The man didn’t want Spencer trying to lift anything for the moment and had insisted on bringing their bags in himself. “You know, I still have one perfectly good arm.” He felt the need to point out.

“De rest of y’ aint half bad, neither.” Remy looked up and winked at him.

A chuckle tickled the back of Spencer's throat. “You’re incorrigible.” He watched as Remy took their toiletries over to the bathroom. Spencer let himself lay back on the bed, sighing as the change in position eased some of the ache in his stomach. His left hip was throbbing pretty steadily, too. The car ride had jostled the bruise there almost constantly and he was definitely feeling it now. Comfortable, he resumed their teasing play. “Watch that flattery, Mr. Reid. You’re liable to turn a man’s head with half compliments like that.”

Husky laughter echoed out from the bathroom. A moment later Remy was strolling over toward the bed, a broad grin on his face. He pulled his trench coat off and draped it over one of the chairs nearby. He’d just sat down at the edge of the bed when Spencer's phone started to ring. The young genius tried to sit up enough to reach where he’d left it on the bed. Quickly Remy put a hand on his chest and held him down while grabbing the phone with his other hand. He pressed a button to answer the call and another to put it on speaker and then handed the phone over. Spencer waited till the speakerphone was all the way on before saying “Hey, Alex.” He’d recognized the ringtone and knew who it belonged to. Remy had helped him set up a personal ring tone for each person so he always knew who was calling before he even got to his phone.

“ _Hey, pidge. You guys get in yet?_ ”

“Yes. We just checked in at the hotel.”

“ _All right. Well, I’m at the condo, so tell me where you are and I’ll head on over. Anything you want from here?_ ”

“Actually, yes. There’s a stack of books on top of the dresser that’s mine. There should be four of them. Could you bring those?” Spencer paused to smile at Remy, who was rising and going back toward their suitcase. Spencer kept watching him while rattling off their location and room number. True to form, once he had his information, Alex didn’t stay on the phone long. He wasn’t big on phones. With a quick “ _See ya soon, pidge!”_ he hung up.

When Spencer closed the phone, Remy was making his way back over to the bed. “Y’ know, I been meaning to ask y’ somet’ing.” The Cajun said as he took a seat once more on the edge of the bed.

“Oh? What’s that?”

“Why is it dat Alex calls y’ pidge? I aint never heard a nickname like dat b’fore. Does it mean somet’ing?”

To Remy’s amusement, Spencer's cheeks heated. The young genius lifted his eyes to the celling and gave a frustrated sigh. “It’s a silly thing, actually. You know how Alex likes to taunt me with made up words?”

“ _Oui_.”

“Well, one summer when I was seven, I was staying with my brothers and we got into a discussion of movies. Alex couldn’t believe that I hadn’t seen really _any_ Disney movies, so he grabbed the first one he came across and forced me to sit down and watch it with him. By forced, I mean he sat on me so I couldn’t get up.” Spencer scowled and Remy chuckled at that part. “Anyways. He put in Lady and the Tramp. The one dog in the movie, Tramp, he calls Lady ‘pidge’. I asked Alex for an explanation of what ‘pidge’ meant and he couldn’t give me one and neither could Scott. I complained about how it wasn’t a real word and that, as a nickname, shouldn’t it make sense? He tried to defend it just because he’s argumentative and I retaliated by telling him that it was the stupidest nickname I’d ever heard. That led to an argument between Alex and I that, naturally, progressed to insults.”

“Naturally.” Remy laughed out.

“Oh, hush. When the insults turned to name-calling, I fell back on the ones I knew irritated him the most and I started calling him Alexandria and Lexi. He retaliated by calling me pidge, just to irritate me. Even after Scott broke the fight up, Alex kept calling me that for the rest of my visit. Right before I went home, my last night there, the boys convinced me to camp out in the backyard with them in a tent. I was kind of excited about it, all the way up until night hit and I realized just how dark it got there. It wasn’t like Vegas, where it’s never _truly_ dark. I curled up against Scott and pretended to sleep, but really I was stuck awake.” As the memory washed over him, Spencer's eyes warmed and he smiled. “Apparently Alex realized it because the next thing I knew, he was climbing over us and slipping in on my other side, practically squishing me between him and Scott. I remember he told me ‘I know Scott says there’s no monsters out there, but if there are, don’t worry. We’ll kick their ass for you. Now go to sleep, _pidge_ ’ And then he told me that if I told on him for saying ass, he’d kick _my_ ass. After that, the nickname pidge lost it’s annoying edge, but it stuck around. Now it’s just a term of affection from him.”

The delighted laughter that rolled from Remy was enough to have Spencer looking back at him and smiling. He watched as Remy tipped his head back and let the laughter roll out. He looked unbelievably good like that. It was one of Spencer's favorite looks for him. The way his eyes would shine with good humor, the smile that stretched those sinful lips, the relaxed posture to his body. Despite everything that had happened to him, there was a joy for life inside of Remy that never seemed to fade away. Spencer hoped he never lost that.

Unaware of Spencer's thoughts, Remy tipped his head down and smiled at him. “So basically, y’r _frère_ is calling y’ after a dog named Lady, hehn?”

Spencer quirked an eyebrow at him. He felt his lips twitch slightly with the urge to smile. “You are gaining far too much amusement out of this.”

“Oh, cher, y’ve just opened up endless possibilities fo’ teasing y’. De both of y’.”

“I guess I’ll have to shut you up, then.” With no more warning than that, Spencer reached up and took hold of Remy’s shirt, tugging him down until he could press their lips together. He threw everything he had into the kiss, slipping his tongue out to trace over Remy’s lips. At the same time, he let go of Remy’s shirt, sliding his hand around to cup the back of his neck instead, holding him in place as Remy parted his lips and Spencer plundered his mouth. He knew how it drove Remy crazy in those few times that Spencer let go enough to play a little aggressive. Now was no different. He swallowed down Remy’s moan and felt as the man’s body melted down against him. By the time Spencer let him up for air, there was a dazed look on Remy’s face that left Spencer feeling pleased with himself.

The Cajun put a hand on the bed to prop himself up, still staring down at Spencer's face. His pupils were dilated and he was breathing just a little heavier than before. What else could Spencer do but draw him back in for another kiss?

This time when they broke apart, the look of absolute lust on Remy’s face had Spencer moaning softly. The sound sent a shiver down Remy’s spin. He licked his lips and flicked a glance over to the clock. “How long y’ t’ink it’ll take Alex to get here from de condo?”

“He’ll be coming by cab, so barring any serious traffic, we’ve probably got about twenty to twenty five minutes.”

“ _Bon_.” In one fluid move, Remy twisted the rest of his body and pulled a leg up so that he ended up straddling Spencer's hips, a hand on either side of his head, grinning devilishly at him. “We’ll have to make dis quick, den.” He stole a quick kiss before siting up and grabbing the hem of his shirt. In one move he pulled it up and over his head, grinning down as he tossed it aside. “Y’ just lay back, _mon mari_ , and enjoy de ride.”

CXCX

Spencer was just hanging up the phone with room service when a knock sounded at the hotel room door. He pushed up off the edge of the freshly made bed and made his way out toward the door. A quick peek through the peephole and then he was opening the door and grinning at his brother. “Hey, Alex. Exceptional timing, as always. I just finished ordering room service. It should be here within fifteen minutes, they said.”

It took all of three seconds for the smile to wipe off of Alex’s face and fury to take its place. He looked ready to start throwing punches. “What the hell happened to you?”

For a second Spencer didn’t understand what he was talking about. Then he realized, he’d never told Alex about what had happened with the Unsub. _Damn._ “It’s not as bad as it looks, I promise. Come on in and I’ll explain it. And calm down.” He held the door wide and waited for Alex to storm inside. Spencer shut the door behind him and drew in a breath for patience before he turned around to face his brother. “Before you start to rant or rave, let me explain. It’s not anything serious, Alex. I dislocated my shoulder and the doctor wants me to wear a sling for a few days until the bruising starts to fade away. I got this while taking down an Unsub at work.”

“You took down one of your bad guys and got a dislocated shoulder?” Alex crossed his arms over his chest and scowled at him. “Is that all? Just your shoulder?”

“A few bruises here and there. No worse than you’ve ever done to me when we fight.” He threw that last part out with a scowl of his own while he made his way to the couch.

“Bite me, brat.” With a roll of his eyes, Alex dropped down into one of the chairs and kicked his feet up on the coffee table. “Where’s your better half at?”

Spencer's scowl grew. He lifted a foot and used it to shove Alex’s off the coffee table. His brother only did that because he knew it irritated him. Spencer didn’t care if someone propped their feet up on the table but he didn’t like shoes on the table. Alex told him it was a ridiculous quirk and that there was no real difference between shoes or feet on the table, but Spencer didn’t care. “He’s out on the balcony having a cigarette.”

With a quick glance over toward the direction of the bedroom and the balcony, Alex lowered his voice. “Is he doing okay?”

“No.” Sighing, Spencer ran a hand over his face. A headache was throbbing dully in his temples and he knew it wasn’t going to get any better anytime soon. Between the tender spot where he’d hit his head yesterday and his own worries, it was no wonder he had a headache. Add in how tightly he was shielding to try and keep from feeling too much of Remy’s emotions—something he didn’t typically do, but one of them needed to be clearheaded for this and he couldn’t do that if he was feeling Remy’s fear and guilt—and to try and keep Remy from feeling just how worried _he_ was, and it all only made his headache worse. He closed his eyes and pinched at the bridge of his nose briefly before dropping his hand down. “But he’s faking it as hard as he can. Kind of a ‘fake it till you make it’ outlook.”

“How about you? How’re you doing?”

“Ask me again in about an hour. I text Scott before I ordered room service. He already knew the hotel we were staying at. I gave him our room number. After our last conversation, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was already nearby, just waiting for my text.” A small hint of a smile tugged at Spencer's hips. He cracked open his eyes just slightly and slanted a look towards Alex. “I kind of dumped part of this on him already. I called to let him know I was coming out to introduce him to my husband, though I didn’t tell him who that was. Then I kind of hung up on him and turned my phone off.”

The deep sound of Alex’s booming laugh echoed off the walls. At the same time, the balcony door opened and Remy slid inside. “ _Mais_ , Remy can tell Alex is here.” He called out teasingly. A moment later he came around the small wall, a smile plastered on his face. To the world he probably looked perfectly relaxed and at ease. To Spencer, he could see the signs of stress. It was in the little things that someone wouldn’t notice unless they knew Remy as well as he did. A slight tightness to his face, a hint of a false note in his tone. Remy had put on a cover, a way of distancing himself from what was going on. His face held a hint of amusement, his body language was deliberately relaxed, there was an extra sway to his walk when he sashayed over to join Spencer on the couch. Hell, even his clothes gave him away. Form fitting, torn jeans that were easy for him to move in and that looked fantastic on him. A simple black long sleeved shirt over top his tank top, over which he still wore his trench, an item that Spencer knew was both shield and battle armor for him. His long hair had been pulled back in a tail, keeping it out of the way, but his bangs hung loose enough to shelter his eyes, even though he’d pulled on a pair of his smaller black sunglasses.

Watching him, Spencer knew he was seeing Gambit here. This was the man who hadn’t lived, but had _survived_ for so long. The one that didn’t care about what anyone said to him or thought about him. The one that was cocky and arrogant and could kick your ass with a smile on his face.

He couldn’t stop himself from reaching out when Remy settled down beside him. His hand went to Remy’s thigh, simply curling there, a reassuring weight to make sure that Remy remembered he wasn’t alone in this.

The sound of a knock at the door startled all of them. Spencer felt Remy’s body twitch almost convulsively next to him and his emotions pulsed with a nauseating mixture of fear, grief, guilt, longing, happiness, and a touch of sadness. Spencer curled his hand a little tighter over Remy’s thigh, casting a quick look to Alex in a silent request. Alex nodded once and rose to his feet. “I’ll get it.”

Spencer shifted a little closer to Remy, pressing their sides together. Remy couldn’t wrap his arm around Spencer without hitting his shoulder, so instead his arm was around him, but resting on the back of the couch. He was slouched down a little in his seat with his legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles, somehow making the pose a hell of a lot more sexual than it should’ve been. But he broke his calm persona enough to bring his free hand to rest over Spencer's, their fingers twining together in a silent show of mutual support. It was now or never.

Together they watched as Alex opened the door to reveal Scott and Logan standing there. Scott’s expression was slightly surprised at who he found opening the door. “Alex? What’re you doing here?”

“Well hello to you too, four eyes. Always a pleasure to see you and your better half.” Alex replied sarcastically. He stepped back, gesturing into the room with one hand. “Won’t you please come in? We’ve been waiting for you.”

Caught up in the surprise of finding the opposite brother than the one he’d been expecting, Scott hadn’t looked into the rest of the room yet, so he didn’t see the two on the couch. But Logan’s attention had turned toward them. His head had lifted in a way that told Spencer he was scenting the room before he took a step in, eyes going almost directly to them. They watched the shock bloom to life, widening his eyes and making his mouth drop open. “Holy shit.”

Scott stepped in now as well, automatically turning to look at what had shocked Logan so much. With his sunglasses, they couldn’t see Scott’s eyes, but they saw him visibly startle at the same time that the color seemed to drain from his face. “Remy?”

A little tremor ran down Remy and Spencer squeezed his hand reassuringly. Remy seemed to draw strength from that. He took a deep breath and gave them his trademark smile. “ _Bonjour, mes amies._ Long time no see.”


	15. Chapter 15

The hotel room was charged with an almost electric silence. The only sound was the sound of Alex shutting the door. The click of it latching worked to break the spell over the room. Without warning, Scott did something none of them had expected. He unfroze first and marched forward, moving straight to them, and he surprised Remy completely by grabbing the man and yanking him up and into a tight hug. Remy barely had time to lift his hands to hug back before Scott pulled back and smiled at him. “Thank God you’re alive. I am so happy to see you.” With that, he yanked Remy in close again, hugging him tightly. From his spot on the couch, Spencer's lips curved a little, feeling Remy’s surprise and happiness at this joyful reunion. He knew this was the last thing Remy had expected and it was exactly what he needed. Then Logan stepped up and Remy was being passed off to another hug. “Shit, Gumbo, is it ever good to see you.” Logan growled to him.

Remy pulled back, smiling back and forth between the two. “Remy’s happy to see de two of y’, too.”

“But, what’re you doing here?” Scott seemed to be coming back to himself, his shock wearing off just enough for his brain to kick into gear. He looked from Remy to Spencer and back again. “How are you here at all and why are you in Spencer's hotel room? And what the hell happened to you, Spencer?”

Remy reached out and briefly touched Scott’s arm. “All of dat is a bit of a long story. Why don’t we all sit down and Remy can start explaining t’ings fo’ y’.”

“Shit.” Logan swore yet again. One look at his face and Spencer knew the feral man had figured part of it out. His eyes went back and forth between Remy and Spencer and a grin was growing on his face. “You two got married.”

“ _What_?”

The shocked exclamation from Scott had Spencer flinching ever so slightly. He tried to reinforce his shields to keep out his brother’s emotions. The last thing he really wanted was to feel whatever it was that Scott was feeling. He was too scared to reach out and test them. His flinch didn’t go unnoticed by any of the occupants of the room. Remy reacted to it first, shifting his stance so that he was partially between Spencer and everyone else, effectively drawing all attention to him as he held his hands up. “Y’r all getting de story in bits and pieces. Just everyone sit and we’ll answer questions and tell it to y’ in order, _d’accord_? _S’il tu plait,_ sit.”

Everyone took their seats around the living room. Remy and Spencer kept the couch while Logan and Scott took the chairs that were off to one side. Alex took the chair on the other side, clearly angling himself on their side. That gesture caught Scott’s attention and suddenly his was shooting an accusing look towards Alex. “You knew. You knew about this.”

“I did.” Alex didn’t even bother to deny. “I showed up and kind of stumbled on it. They asked me to keep it quiet.”

Seeing the look on Scott’s face, Spencer took things up before he could demand his next question. “If you can try to listen without interrupting, I’ll explain it all, Scotty.”

“Then start talking, Spencer. Explain it to me.”

And that was exactly what they did. Taking turns in the story, the two explained everything from the first moment they met in Vegas, straight up until the present moment. At one point, a knock came to the door and Alex got up to answer it, bringing in their room service. They paused long enough to take the food and then, once it was all set out on the coffee table, Spencer continued the story, carrying them the last little bit to the end.

If they’d been hoping that things would relax a little then, they were proved wrong. Scott looked even angrier than when they’d started. He sat back in his chair and Spencer swore he _felt_ Scott’s stare on him. The man took a deep breath and brought a hand up, closing his eyes and pushing up his glasses to pinch at the bridge of his nose. “Putting aside the absolute insanity in agreeing to stay married to someone you knew for a _week_ , I’d like to know why you felt you had to hide something like this from me for _five months_! Hell, apparently even Alex gets to know, but not me. I want to know why.” There was enough hurt in his words that Spencer flinched back. He hated hurting Scott. Hated it more than almost anything else in his life. It always reminded him exactly how much pain he’d already put the man through and reminded him how he’d promised himself to not hurt him anymore.

Remy felt that flinch and soothingly rubbed on Spencer's thigh at the same time as saying “Dat was Remy’s fault, Fearless. Spencer's been wanting to tell y’ and feeling guilty fo’ not telling y’ fo’ a while now. Just…” Here Remy paused and Spencer could tell that he was gathering his courage together and trying to decide what to say. His body tensed a little and his chin tipped up in a defensive pose. “Remy wasn’t ready to talk to no one from de mansion, y’ know? Aint been ready to be Gambit again. It feels s’ _bon_ to just be Remy fo’ a while. Talking with y’, it means Remy’s gotta face dat part of himself again and,” pausing, Remy squeezed on Spencer a little, drawing strength from that touch. “and Remy don’t know if he’s strong enough fo’ dat no more.”

The candid speech surprised the two men looking on. They’d rarely ever heard Remy speak so openly or emotionally about himself. Honest emotion was on his face. Not just that, but his body was curled in towards Spencer in a way that was either protective, or seeking protection. There was quite a bit about him that they were seeing was different. And not just him, either. Spencer was different as well. It showed clearly in the way he reached down to curl his hand over the one Remy had on his leg, giving it a reassuring squeeze even as he said “You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for, Remy. Far stronger.”

“ _Non_ , _mon mari_. Y’r biased. Y’ see me different den de rest of de world does.” Remy said the words fondly. He leaned in, pressing a kiss to Spencer's hair.

Spencer straightened, pulling away from Remy just enough that he could turn to look at him. He truly hated how Remy viewed himself and no matter who was watching on, he wasn’t going to let his partner get away with talking about himself like that. “And you see yourself through the eyes of a bunch of hypocritical idiots. You shouldn’t punish yourself so hard, honey. You paid for your sins, both real and imagined. Far more than you ever should have had to. You still pay for them.”

“As is right.” Remy argued.

“The hell it is, Remy. The hell it is.” Temper licked at Spencer's words, making them slightly sharper. He turned fully toward Remy. “It was not your fault, do you hear me? I will tell you every single day for the rest of your life if that’s what it takes to get you to believe me. _It was not your fault_. You cannot keep punishing yourself for this and no one else had any right to punish you for it.”

Pain and temper had Remy pushing up to his feet, moving away from Spencer. “Y’ aint got no damn clue what y’r talking about.” He spat out furiously, stalking away from the group to stand by the wall, giving him breathing space. Spinning, he tapped a finger to his chest. “Remy was de one dat was dere. Not y’!”

“Excuse me?” Slowly, Spencer rose to his feet, his eyes locked on Remy’s face. Was the man serious? Did he actually believe that it worked like that? He forgot entirely about their audience in that moment. All of his attention was on Remy. “So simply because I wasn’t there, you think that means I have no clue what I’m talking about? It _doesn’t_ _matter_ that I wasn’t there. I’ve seen what it’s done to you, Remy. I’ve seen how it still hurts you. I’ve held you after the nightmares. I saw the damn paintings. You think I have no clue what I’m talking about? I’ve seen inside of you, Remy Etienne Reid, and I’ve seen the good in you. Whether I was there or not doesn’t matter. I can say with every confidence that _it was not your fault_!”

Instead of shouting back as he usually might have, Remy started to say something and abruptly realized that Scott, Logan and Alex were still watching the two of them with great interest. Throwing his hands up, Remy spat out a few curses and spun on his heel, marching across the room. A second later there was the sound of the balcony door opening and then slamming shut again. Spencer lifted a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes. This wasn’t the first time they’d had this argument and Spencer knew it wouldn’t be the last. Gathering himself, he turned and looked at his brother, whose expression had softened considerably. “My apologies. That’s not our first time having that argument.” He carefully sat back down on the couch and picked up his wine glass again. “He’ll be a moment or so. He’ll have a cigarette or two before he calms down enough to come back.”

“I think I’ll go join him.” Logan rumbled. He squeezed Scott’s leg before rising, stopping beside Spencer long enough to ruffle his hair and then he was gone too.

Realizing he was now alone with his brothers, Spencer fought back a wince. He took a second to sit down once more before he looked up at Scott again. “I know you’re upset with me and I understand completely. I can’t blame you. But we had good reasons for it.”

“Good reasons?” Temper was hot in Scott’s voice and written plainly on his face. “You _lied_ to me. You kept your marriage a secret and you kept from me the fact that someone I thought had died—something that I’ve been carrying so much guilt over—was actually _alive_! I’m a little more than ‘upset’, Spencer. I can’t believe you kept this from me!”

Alex looked ready to leap in and defend Spencer, but to the surprise of both his brothers, Spencer leapt in first. “If I had the chance to do it all over again, I’d do it just the same.” He fired back angrily, stunning them into silence.  “You have no idea what it was like at first, Scotty. You have no idea what kind of scars that sham of a Trial left on him. Do you have any idea how long it took before he stopped shivering every time the room temperature dropped below seventy five? How long it took before he stopped looking at me like I was going to strike out at him or walk away every time we got into an argument? I would’ve done anything he asked me to if it meant easing that ache inside of him. And I absolutely will not apologize for that.”

His speech had Scott’s mouth dropping open, only not for the reason he thought. Spencer watched as Scott and Alex exchanged a look. Then Scott was turning back to him. “Holy shit.” The words fell softly past his lips. “You love him, don’t you? You’re in love with him.”

There was no hesitation in Spencer to answer that. “Of course I am. Do you think I would’ve stayed in a marriage where there wasn’t love?”

It was that bit of information that worked to be the key thing in changing Scott’s whole outlook on this. The hurt didn’t go away, though it was fading slightly as Spencer's words sank in. He knew his baby brother and he knew Spencer would do anything, take any crap given to him, if it was in protection of someone he loved. Knowing that he loved Remy, seeing it right there on his face right now, made Spencer's actions a little more understandable. Scott took a deep breath and sighed it out. So much information had been thrown at him in such a short time. He couldn’t believe it. Remy, alive! Not just alive, but married to Spencer. To _Spencer_. It was mind boggling!

As his mind started to clear, he was better able to see Spencer. To see the tension in him and the worry that were hiding underneath that display of bravado. Scott reacted to it on instinct, rising out of the chair and coming to sit down beside him on the couch. No matter what he felt on this, he couldn’t sit there and watch Spencer be afraid of him or his reaction to things. “I’m not gonna yell at you, Sherlock. I’m hurt, I won’t like about that, but I’ll get over it.” Reaching out, he brushed some of Spencer's hair back, tucking it behind his ear. “I’m not going to ask if he makes you happy because it’s obvious he does. If this is what you want, if he’s what you want, you know you have my support, honey. You two both deserve happiness more than anyone I’ve ever known. But he better take good care of you.”

This was easier ground for Spencer. Because it was Scott of all people, Spencer found himself sitting back against the couch, curling his legs up and turning just a little to face the man. Scott’s arm rested on the back of the couch and his hand played idly with Spencer's hair, a gesture from childhood. Spencer leaned his head into the touch without thinking about it. A little smile quirked his lips. “He does.” He said softly. A soft chuckle slid out. “You know, I’ve taken care of people around me my whole life, except with you two.” A look to the side included Alex in that statement. “With everyone else I’ve always been the caretaker. It’s all I know how to be. But in the dating world, men look at me and see someone they have to take care of all the time. Someone weak. That’s not what I want. I need to be able to take care of someone and yes, be taken care of sometimes, but equally, not as something less. With Remy, I get that. He lets me take care of him and at the same time, he takes care of me whether I notice it all the time or not.”

He paused, absently adjusting his sling to ease his shoulder a little more. His smile grew a little warmer and his eyes softened. “Do you know I used to hate coming home? We’d get done with cases and I’d stick around sometimes and do extra paperwork just because I hated coming home to an empty apartment. Or I’d take work home with me so I’d have something to do. Now? Now I find myself hurrying home at the end of the day. Sometimes I bring work home, but only if it’s important. I find myself looking forward to being at home with him. He makes me smile and he makes me laugh. And when I get home, he’s happy to see me. He’s always so happy to see me.”

“It’s true.” Alex chimed in. He gave a fake shudder. “They’re sickeningly sweet to one another. I got cavities just being around it for too long.”

Spencer rolled his eyes and Scott laughed. His fingers kept fiddling with Spencer's hair. “It’s obvious he cares about you, Sherlock. It’s right out there on his face.” Shaking his head, Scott was the one to chuckle this time. “I’ve never seen him like this. This person, he’s not the Gambit I knew. He doesn’t have that, well, that cocky air he used to have. I caught glimpses of this person before but never so open like this. There was always that cocky shield in place.”

“Cocky?” Pausing, Spencer tipped his head a little. His smile changed to a smirk at certain memories that came forward. “He can be cocky sometimes. He makes jokes or says things that make it seem like he’s got an ego bigger than anything. But that’s all they are, Scotty; jokes. Like you just said, it’s a shield.” Spencer's smile faded away. “That shield was pretty much shattered when I first met him. He never wears it around me. He’s so hurt on the inside; so nervous. Sometimes I think he’s more self-conscious than I am. He second guesses himself constantly. Sometimes when we argue, after the fight is done, he gets so worried I’m going to turn around and walk away from him because of it. He doesn’t expect me to stay around. People in life hurt him, but that little bitch broke him in a lot of ways. He’s still trying to put those pieces back together.”

“Their relationship was never healthy.” Sighing, Scott reached out and plucked a strawberry off the fruit tray that sat on the table. “It was almost painful to watch their on-again-off-again form of dating.”

“As bad as their relationship was, it was nothing compared to her leaving him there.” Spencer spat out. His hand curled into a fist and he had to focus so as not to let power arc over his fingers.

The hand in Spencer's hair froze. “Leaving him there? What do you mean, her leaving him there?”

That was enough to snap Spencer's attention back to Scott. “I thought…Alex said they told you he died.” He glanced over at Alex, who nodded his confirmation, and then back to Scott. “Didn’t they tell you how?” At the blank look on Scott’s face, Spencer felt his temper grow again. “Of course she wouldn’t admit the truth. Of course not. That would require her to acknowledge just how much of a bitch she is. She left him there, Scotty. Flew him off into the ice and left him there and told him he had no home with her or with the X-Men anymore. And then she flew away and left him in the ice of Antarctica to die. How the hell he survived, he still isn’t quite sure, and just talking about it can put him into a panic attack that’ll leave him shivering for hours. And you know the worst part?” Furious, Spencer set his glass down before he ended up throwing it. He pulled away from Scott, shutting his eyes. “The worst part is, he blames himself for that too, seeing as how she was stuck in his memories at the time. He’d take on the blame of the whole damn world if he could.”

The room was silent for a beat before Scott’s furious voice exploded around them. “She did _what_?”

CXCX

A long sigh slid from Remy’s chest with that first drag of his cigarette. It helped to start to calm his nerves just as it always did. He sat in one of the chairs, kicking his legs up on the balcony railing. Temper still vibrated down his body but he was reigning it back in with each drag off his cigarette.

When the glass door slid open, Remy wasn’t surprised. He wasn’t surprised it was Logan who came out, either. The man quietly shut the door behind him and made his way over to lean against the railing near Remy’s feet. Without a word, he pulled a cigar out and got it lit. Only when he’d puffed it to life did he finally look down at Remy and grin at him just the same way he always had. “So.” He drawled out. “Married, huh?”

The amusement in that word had Remy responding in kind. “ _Oui_.” He blew a smoke ring up in the air and let his sunglasses slip down so he could wink at him. “Who would’ve thought, _non_?”

“Always figured you’d settle down someday, Gumbo. Yer the family type through and through.”

Surprise lit Remy’s face and had him raising his eyebrows.

Seeing it, Logan snorted. “What, ya think I’m blind? Shit, bub. You’ve been aching to put down roots since the day I met you. Looks like you finally got it with the runt.”

There was a question buried underneath there that Remy could feel his friend wanted to ask. Between them, there’d always been brutal honesty. It was one of Remy’s favorite things about his friendship with Logan and one thing he’d always known he could count on. Logan would give it to him straight, no pulling punches, even if it was going to hurt. If you were hurt by it, he’d be there to help you afterwards, but he wouldn’t cushion the initial blow. Bracing himself, Remy made his lips quirk in a grin he didn’t quite feel. “Ask what y’ wanna ask, _mon ami_. Y’ aint never pulled y’r punches with Remy. Don’t see no need to start now.”

Logan blew out smoke and flashed a sharp grin. “All right. Are ya with Spencer just cause you feel like you aint got nowhere else to go, or are ya with him for him?”

That was easy. Remy relaxed a little and smiled. He’d expected a harder question. “Dat’s easy. Remy’s with Spencer cause he’s Spencer.”

“He’s a damn good kid.”

“ _Oui_ , he is. He…he makes Remy feel again, Logan.” Tapping out ash, Remy made a soft sound before giving his friend an open smile. “He brings me back to life. I’m painting again, Wolvie. Y’ know how long it’s been since I painted? Not just dat, but we make music together. I’m teaching him to play de guitar. I aint played in so long cause de music, it just dried up in me, de same as de painting. But I play with him.”

Too wound up to sit, Remy rose to his feet, pacing across the balcony. Looking over the city spread out before them, he took a deep breath of the cool afternoon air. Suddenly it seemed important to make Logan understand. He wanted his friend to know why he was here. That he wasn’t just playing around, or biding his time, or any of those other things. It prompted him to say more than he might’ve otherwise. “He makes me warm, mec. After de cold, I didn’t t’ink I’d ever feel anyt’ing again. It felt like de ice was in me. But Spencer, he’s like a warm fire in me. He makes me so warm inside. _Dieu_. He don’t care about m’ past. I’ve told him t’ings, told him about Sinister. I told him dat early on, cause I didn’t want another t’ing ruined cause I didn’t tell. I told him about de Morlocks and de T’ieves Guild and some of de other t’ings in m’ past, and y’ know what?” Remy spun back around, his heart in his eyes, freezing Logan in place with the emotion there. “He didn’t yell at me fo’ it. He didn’t condemn me or cast me out or leave me to freeze to death in de cold and de ice. _Non_. Y’ know what he did? He _held_ me.” He said that last part as if it were the single most amazing thing in the world. To him, it was. Privately he thought that maybe that was the moment he’d first really started to fall for the man. “He held me so tight and he told me how sorry he was fo’ dese t’ings happening to me. Can y’ believe dat?”

“I can.” Logan’s voice was gruff, a sign of the emotion underneath the words. He could believe it; the words were genuine Spencer. Looking at his friend, Logan felt himself start to smile. “Ya love him.”

Remy went completely still. After a pause, his voice came over the air, soft and sure. “ _Oui_.”

“He loves ya too.”

“He aint never said it.” But Remy smiled slightly. “ _Mais_ , he don’t gotta say it. Lots of people told Remy dat dey loved him or cared fo’ him and den turned around and hurt him. Spencer, he aint never said it, but Remy… _I_ feel it. Feel it in everyt’ing he does. De way he talks with me, de way he looks at me, de way he touches me. It’s all right dere.”

Their moment was broken suddenly by the sound of Scott’s raised voice shouting out “She did _what_?”

A quick feel over the link told Remy how Spencer was feeling and he couldn’t help but wince. “ _Dieu_. T’ink dey must’ve got around to talk about de Trial.” He sighed and charged his cigarette butt, flicking it into the air where it exploded with a small pop. “My guess, dey’re talking about Rogue. Spencer aint all too fond of her. Especially with dis.”

“Can’t blame him.” Logan’s tone shifted to an angry growl. “She told us she tried to save you but that you were already gone. Seeing you here and hearing you talk about being left, I’d guess the bitch left ya there.”

Hearing what she’d told the others had a flash of hurt and temper both rushing to life in Remy. That’s what she’d told them? That she’d tried to save him but he was already gone? How the hell could she stand to look at them and lie like that? _It’s not her fault. Y’ was in her head. She wasn’t in her right mind._ “She wasn’t t’inking straight, mec. De _femme_ had m’ memories in dere, driving her crazy. _Merde_ , part of me wanted to die out dere and dat’s prolly what she was picking up on, yeah. She aint t’ blame fo’ dis. She was hurting with what she saw I did.”

“I aint gonna get in a pissing match with you about what you did, Gumbo.” Logan interrupted him. “I aint gonna argue it. Looks like Spencer's got that part down pretty damn good. I’m gonna tell you once and only once; whatever ya did, whatever happened, it don’t matter. That aint who you are.” When Remy’s surprised eyes lifted to lock on him, Logan rolled his eyes and tapped out some ash. “Aint none of us pure, Gumbo. Shit. We’ve all got pasts that got plenty of blood in them. What makes your sins worse than theirs? Whatever happened there, what makes it worse than any of the lives some of them have taken, huh? Your past is just that—your past. The person I’ll judge you on being is the guy I’ve known since ya first came to the mansion. _That’s_ who ya are to me. And I’m damn glad to find out that person is still alive.” Logan pushed off the railing, going over to grind out his cigar in the ashtray. When he straightened back up, he flashed a grin. “Now, let’s go separate the brats. They’re still bickering and yours aint in no condition to get into a pissing match with Alex, which is gonna happen if we let em alone too long. I don’t know about you, but I want some of that grub ya ordered up fer us.”

The smile on Remy’s face was wide and honest, lighting up his eyes. “Sounds like a plan to me.”

Logan clapped a hand on his shoulder, giving him an affectionate squeeze before the two made their way back inside.


	16. Chapter 16

When he came inside, Remy went straight to Spencer, smoothly slipping down onto the couch at his free side and leaning in to take a kiss. They both ignored Alex’s gagging sounds. In that brief touch was a silent reassurance to one another. A way of checking in and making sure that the other really was okay and reassuring one another that they were still there. When they broke apart, Scott had shifted a little more toward the end of the couch, pulling back slightly from Spencer. At first Remy couldn’t help but worry. Then he saw the smile Scott was wearing and he knew that things couldn’t be _too_ bad. Carefully he probed at the emotions in the room. There was a hint of temper still in the air, but the trio _had_ been arguing. Still…Deciding to grab the bull by the horns, Remy lifted his chin a little and gave the room a steady look. “I’m gonna tell all of y’ now, I aint spending dis whole visit with y’ discussing de Trial.” Curling his hand over Spencer's leg, Remy drew strength from his presence and from the wave of comfort and support and pride that his husband sent his way. It gave him enough courage to say “I know what y’ was told, Scotty, and all of it was true, cept fo’ de bit at de end and y’ know now what happened dere. De rest of it, it was true, and if y’ can’t live with dat, well, _je suis désolé_. But Remy can’t change dat.”

Scott lifted a hand and waved it dismissively in the air. “I already knew you worked for Sinister, Remy. It never bothered me before and it isn’t going to start bothering me now. I was never angry with you for the whole Trial sham. I’m furious that I wasn’t there to stop it from happening but not at you.”

“ _Quoi_?” Remy exclaimed. Shock had his eyes going wide. Scott had known? How? And why hadn’t he ever said anything about it? “How? Aint never told no one dere.”

“Not long after you first arrived, you remember when you got really sick? It was before Hank knew you didn’t react well to sedatives. You were horribly ill down in the Med Lab.” Scott paused, waiting for Remy’s nod of acknowledgement before continuing. “You were delirious and you talked a lot as if he were there. When I realized what you were talking about, I put it about that you were restricted visitors and I even kept Hank out for the most part, and I sat and listened to your rambling. It wasn’t hard to piece together that you’d worked for him or why you started. It explained your fear of the lab, too. I didn’t know about the Morlocks, but, well, that doesn’t change this. You’re not a cold blooded killer, Remy, and I know better than to think you led a group into a slaughter. Knowing Sinister, there’s probably a hell of a lot more to the story.”

His words had Remy stunned. Scott had known? He’d known about Sinister all this time and he hadn’t cared? He’d still let him be on the team, trusted him to do his job? He couldn’t believe it. The absolute shock of it had Remy speaking without thinking. “I swear, aint never gonna understand y’all.” Sighing, he shook his head. “It’s like I told Spencer; Y’ damn Summers, y’ don’t react to not’ing de way a _homme_ t’inks y’r gonna. Y’all always surprise me.”

Scott flashed him that crooked Summers grin. “We’re just that awesome.”

“Or crazy.” Logan added in, earning him a smack on the arm from Scott and a glare from the other two brothers.

Now that humor had broken the ice, the room seemed much more relaxed than it had been before. Scott sat forward, picking food off the snack trays that were there and putting them onto one of the little plates that came with it. “So.” He drawled the word out, amusement lighting his face. “I’ve got to ask. What exactly does the dangerous Gambit do all day when my darling brother is working? What keeps our Cajun entertained?”

The teasing to the words was warm and familiar and pure Scott. This was the man that Remy had hung out with many evenings when there weren’t others around to see the serious leader let his hair down, so to speak. This was Scott, not Cyclops. As worried as he’d been about talking to these two once more, Remy now found himself happy to have them back in his life. He’d missed them, quite a bit. They had been his best friends at the mansion. “ _Mais_ , I paint mostly. I even sculpt sometimes. Hell, I’m t’inking of maybe taking a few classes and learning some other mediums as well. Photography, maybe. Or glass.”

“Really?” Spencer turned to look at him with a smile. “I didn’t know that. That sounds nice.”

Smiling, Remy kissed Spencer's forehead. Then he turned and bent down the same as Scott, gathering together food for both him and Spencer, knowing Spencer couldn’t bend right to get to it. As he did, he continued talking. “I been getting some t’ings done, some together.” With a small bit of nerves and pride both, Remy smiled over at Spencer before saying “I found m’self a dealer and we been working on putting t’ings together fo’ a showing. I’ve sold a few pieces here and dere, just enough to get m’ work out dere.”

“Oh, such an exciting life, being a little housewife.” Alex taunted him.

“So you just stay at home all the time and you paint?” Eyebrows arching, Scott looked at him incredulously, unable to reconcile the image of the daring and dangerous Gambit with the tame man in front of him.

Remy chuckled at his question. “I got friends there too, _mon ami_. I aint just hiding out in de house, seeing only Spencer. I got friends. The whole team, they’re more like family dan coworkers. JJ’s husband, Will, I knew his Papa back in de day. He’s from N’Awlins too. He comes over sometimes when de team is out and he visits with me. He brings his son Henri wit’ him too so I can play wit’ de boy.”

Smiling fondly, Spencer patted Remy’s leg before reaching out to steal a strawberry off his plate. “Henry practically begs to come play with his Uncle Remy.”

“Penny comes over and visits _moi_ and we go out shopping together. Dat _femme_ is a whirlwind all of her own. Alex comes to see us, too, and he’ll stay at de house to visit wit’ me sometimes instead of staying at a hotel. And down de block is Jeff and his wife Melinda. Dey like to stop by sometimes fo’ a few drinks, maybe a BBQ when Spencer's home. I go over dere sometimes and help out, cause Jeff’s horrible at fixing t’ings up round de house. Spencer helped tune up deir car, too.” With a shrug, Remy popped a grape into his mouth. “Though honestly, m’ painting takes up a lot of m’ time sometimes. I get in de zone and I can spend most of m’ day up in m’ studio.”

“I didn’t know you painted.” Scott commented.

With another shrug, Remy turned his head a little, nuzzling against Spencer's hair in a self-soothing gesture. “I used to. De passion fo’ it just dried up in me fo’ a long time.”

Alex settled back in his chair and stretched his legs out, crossing them at the ankles. He flashed a grin over towards the couch. “I’ve seen his shit. He’s pretty good, I’ll give him that.”

“Good enough for you to commission a piece.” Spencer taunted him. His lips quirked in that Summers half-grin and he turned amused eyes to Scott. “He acts so casual over there but I know for a fact that he nagged after Remy to get a piece made.”

“Shut up!” Alex launched a grape over at Spencer, bouncing it off his forehead. “I did not nag. I’m not a nagger.”

Spencer turned his head to scowl at Alex. “You did nag. And do not throw food at me, Alexander.”

“How about I just throw you, brat?”

“Boys.” Scott drawled out lazily.

As the trio started a three way bicker, Remy smiled and shook his head. He curled himself just a little more against Spencer's side. The young genius shifted, turning his shoulder just right, and Remy took advantage of the move to slip his arm around Spencer's waist. It ended with Remy in the corner of the couch, one arm between Spencer's back and the couch, with Spencer resting half against Remy’s chest. It allowed Remy to hold his man close and to nuzzle against him. He let the sound of everyone’s voices wash over him, not paying any real attention to what was being said. Just the fact that they were all here, together, talking, was more than enough. It was more than he’d thought would happen.

He couldn’t believe how easy this all was right now. He couldn’t believe that Scott was sitting here so calmly and easily! Logan’s reaction didn’t really surprise him. Out of everyone, that had been the one person that Remy had thought might still care for him. Logan had always had his back before. But Scott? What exactly he’d thought the man would do, he wasn’t sure. But it certainly hadn’t been this easy acceptance of everything! Anger, maybe. Or disgust. He would’ve understood those. He’d been prepared for those. Instead, he’d felt Scott’s joy and relief at seeing him and a genuine happiness that warmed him in those broken places inside. Burying his face against Spencer's hair, Remy drew in a deep breath, inhaling the clean scent of Spencer's shampoo. Spencer must’ve felt his emotional turmoil because Remy felt an inflow of warm affection wrapping around him and holding him in the equivalent of an empathic hug. Sighing into the touch, Remy let the last of his tension drain away. He wasn’t going to sit and wonder and question everything. He was just going to take this as it was and enjoy every second of it. He had some of his friends back, something he’d been sure would never happen. He was going to enjoy it.

With an honest smile on his lips, Remy turned his head and tuned back in to the conversation.

CXCX

The group spent hours there in the hotel room, talking and laughing. At one point Alex disappeared for a while only to return with a case of beer and a bottle of whiskey. The whiskey was for Spencer, since Alex knew that his younger brother rarely ever drank beer. He also knew Spencer well enough to know that the kid most likely wasn’t taking any pain medication for his injuries and he kept shifting slightly and wincing on the couch. Alex figured the whiskey would dull that down. When he handed a glass to Spencer, the look he got told him that Spencer understood why he’d bought it and was grateful.

By silent agreement, no one discussed the trial or Remy’s disappearance. Instead, they played catch up, everyone talking about the things they’d been up to for the past five months. The stories passed around the room with lots of laughter and smiles. It was what all of them needed. This time to simply reconnect. Alex regaled them with tales of the latest date he’d gone on that had ended up with a trip to the emergency room for anaphylactic shock. Scott and Logan shared a bit about their attempt at a vacation that had been interrupted at least twice a day by phone calls, until finally Logan ripped the phone out of the cabin wall and broke both their cell phones. That story had the whole room laughing, even Scott, who tried to pretend to glare about it. Spencer and Remy shared stories about things they’d done and about their house and the work they did on it. Remy talked a little about his paintings, somehow ending up promising Scott a look at his next batch before he sold anymore.

Eventually, day turned to night, and the alcohol he’d drank was taking its effect on Spencer and some on Alex as well, who was the only other one to have indulged in some of the whiskey, having bet Spencer he could finish a shot and a beer before him. Spencer won. But now, the young genius was curled up on the couch, his upper half twisted so that his good shoulder was against Remy, his face tucked in so that Remy’s chin rested on top of his head, and his legs were stretched out over top of Scott’s lap. He was mostly asleep when he moved his legs onto Scott, so he didn’t see the amused looks he got. Remy wrapped his arms around Spencer to better hold him in place and he shared a smile with Scott. “T’ink someone’s a lil sleepy.” He said jokingly.

Humor quirked Scott’s lips. One of his arms was up on the back of the couch and he dropped the other over Spencer's legs, rubbing briefly at his knee. “Whiskey tends to do that to him. Get enough in and he’ll go out like a light. I imagine that was your goal, Lex.” He looked at Alex and quirked a brow in question. Alex grinned back at him and reclined in the chair, kicking his boots up on the table now that Spencer wasn’t awake to yell at him. “Would I do that?” he put a hand over his heart in an attempt at an innocent look that failed miserably.

“Yeah.” Scott, Logan and Remy all said at the same time.

Alex tried to glare but he ended up sniggering instead. “Okay, okay. I did. Sue me.” His expression softened the slightest bit when he looked at Spencer. “I doubt he’s taking anything for that shoulder, and for whatever else he’s got going on. I figured this was the best pain reliever I’d get in him.”

“Saves me a fight wit’ him.” Remy murmured. He bent just enough to press a kiss against Spencer's hair. “He’s a stubborn one, dat’s f’sure.”

“It’s a family trait.” Logan threw out. He crossed one leg over the other and smirked over the top of his bottle at Scott. Surprisingly, the eldest Summers didn’t protest the words. He was feeling mellow enough from his beers that he just smirked and said “Just you remember that.” Before he took a long pull off his beer. Then he looked down at his watch and let out a sigh. “It’s getting late. We should probably head back to the house. I’ve got an early morning teleconference with the Professor.”

“De prof aint home?” Remy asked.

“No, he went to Muir Island to take care of some things. He won’t be back for another two weeks.”

“Speaking of time.” Logan butt in. “How long are you two staying for?”

Spencer shifted slightly in his sleep and Remy felt as he jostled his shoulder and groaned lightly from it. Curling his hand up, the Cajun stroked long fingers through Spencer's hair, murmuring softly to soothe him back down. When once more the young man was settled, Remy looked back up to answer Logan’s question, though he continued to play with Spencer's hair. “We’re staying fo’ t’ree nights. Spencer's got two weeks off from work right now, so I was t’inking of spending a few days here, den resting up at home and maybe convincing him to go on out and see his Mama fo’ a spell. I’m not quite sure yet. We may just hole up and fo’get de world fo’ a while.” Warmth lit Remy’s eyes as he once more looked down at the man cuddled in against him. “He gets tired of traveling sometimes. Might be he’d like to just relax round de house.”

“Judging by the way he looks at you, I’d say he’d be content being anywhere you are. He’s the sappy one of the family.” Scott said the last words softly and fondly, taking any sting out of them. He looked up at Remy and lifted one eyebrow up, a half-serious-half-teasing look on his face. “As Eldest, it’s my duty to warn you, Remy LeBeau. You better treat my baby brother right, or I’ll take you to the Danger Room and show you just what it means to mess with a Summers. And no matter what his last name says, Sherlock here is a Summers.”

“ _Mais oui_ , Scotty. I’d expect not’ing less.”

“Good. I’m rather fond of the little brat most days. I’m fond of you most of the time, too. It’d be a shame to have to rearrange your face.”

The threat was delivered so calmly and so evenly that Remy could only shake his head and chuckle. Suddenly Alex reached out and slapped lightly at Remy’s arm, drawing his attention. “Hey! You realize what that means, though, right?”

“ _Quoi_?”

Alex’s grin grew even wider. “That means that, even though your last name is Reid now, you’re a Summers now too.”

“That’s right.” Scott chimed in. His grin was growing as well. “People have asked often enough if we’re related. Now we can actually tell them yes. Oh, this is going to be fun. I can just see it now.”

Remy’s groan could be heard clearly amidst Logan’s laughter. The Cajun scowled over at Scott. “Weren’t y’ leaving, Scotty? I thought y’ said y’ had to go.”

Laughing, Scott leaned forward and set his beer bottle on the coffee table. “Yeah, yeah, I see how it is. Just push us on out the door. Boy, it feels like you’re part of the family already.”

Very carefully the two men shifted Spencer off of them so that they could both rise. Even though he was only leaving Spencer lying on the couch for just a minute, Remy took his trench off and draped it over him to keep him warm until he got back. They both got so cold so easily while they slept. He didn’t see the surprised looks he got for doing it. Scott and Logan both knew that Remy didn’t easily give up his coat, nor did he give it to just anyone. It was the man’s armory and he didn’t often let it be far from hand. It had been rare to see even Ororo in it, and she had always been one of the closest people to him.

Once Remy got Spencer tucked in and secure for the moment, he brushed a kiss over his head and then turned to walk his friends to the door. Logan had already helped Alex to his feet and was discreetly keeping him steady. Rising had apparently made the alcohol hit just a little bit harder because Alex was wobbling ever so slightly. Remy walked them over towards the door, keeping a careful eye on Alex. “Y’ know, y’ can crash here if y’ want, Alex. Once I get Spencer on de bed, I t’ink de couch pulls out. If not, we can always set y’ up with a blanket or two and y’ll be plenty comfortable.”

“I’m good.” Alex reached out and patted his shoulder. “I’ll get in a cab and go crash at the condo. All my shit’s there anyways.”

“We’ll take you.” Scott corrected. He turned a look toward Logan, who nodded his understanding. The Canadian gave Remy a brief wave and then started moving Alex out the open door. “C’mon, bub. Let’s get you down in the car before ya fall over.”

The way Scott shook his head suggested annoyance, yet his emotions clearly showed his amusement with the whole thing. There was a slight quirk to his lips that might’ve been a smile. He turned to face Remy, propping himself up against the door frame. “Well.” He drawled the word out slowly, layering it with humor. “I can’t say this was anything like what I’d expected my day to be like when I got up this morning. Finding out my brother’s married, then I find out you’re alive _and_ you’re the one that married him. Hell of a day.”

“ _Oui_ , it has been. I imagine it’s hard fo’ y’ to take it all in. _Mais_ , I’m sorry we didn’t tell y’ sooner, Scotty. An I don’t want y’ being mad at Spencer fo’ it, _s’il tu plait_. He only kept it quiet fo’ _moi_. He didn’t want to lie to y’.”

The hint of a smile that Scott had worn before now grew to life. “This is quite a role reversal.” He chuckled. “I’m usually the one doing the defending. But don’t worry, Remy. Sherlock and I will talk a little tomorrow and I promise we’ll be fine. It’s kind of hard to stay mad at the brat. He’s dealt with too much anger in his life; I don’t want to be one who adds to that.” He paused and shook his head once more. “I’m rather protective of him, in case you can’t tell. Alex is too, but I can admit I’m a bit worse.”

“Spencer warned me of dat.” Shifting his weight, Remy leaned against the wall, allowing him to look at Scott but keep Spencer in his line of sight. Drunk as the man was, the last thing he needed was to end up rolling off the couch and making any of his injuries worse. It’d be just his graceful kind of luck. “He told me some t’ings on de way here…told me ‘bout Jesse.”

That wiped the smile off Scott’s face real fast. “The bastard.”

“Y’ and Remy are on de same wavelength dere, Fearless.”

“Sometimes I wish I’d let Alex castrate him like he wanted to. But, we got our message across.” Satisfaction and anger both radiated from Scott. The anger faded slowly, replaced by a warmth that Remy was coming to recognize as the brotherly love Scott felt when speaking of or to Alex or Spencer. “It’s not just Jesse that makes me this way, though. It’s not just the crap he had to put up with as a kid, either. It goes a little deeper than that. I _have_ to look out for the kid. He’s my responsibility. I imagine he’s told you about Mom. That she died after giving birth to him.”

Remy nodded. He reached out, brushing his fingers over Scott’s arm in a small, comforting gesture. “ _Oui. Désolé, mon ami._ ”

“Thanks. Did he tell you that Mom was in a wreck that night and _that’s_ what sent her into early labor?” At Remy’s surprised look, Scott nodded. “Yeah, I didn’t think he had. He doesn’t really talk about Mom that easily. Alex was sick that night and he was clinging pretty badly to Pop, so Mom was the one to go out in the car to go get some things from the store. She brought me with her to give Pop a break and to get me out of the house. We were coming home from the store when a big pickup barreled past a red light and slammed into the back of our car, spinning us through the intersection.”

Holy shit. Remy’s eyes were wide as he listened to the story. He had no clue where this was going but he didn’t dare interrupt. He just stood and silently waited for Scott to finish.

It was hard to tell with those sunglasses, but he thought Scott might be looking past him to where Spencer was lying down. His voice was just a little distant when he spoke again. “Mom hit the wheel pretty hard, from what I remember. A little bit of it is hazy for me. I’d hit my head on the dash and on my window and I was out of it. I remember Mom yelling my name and then the next thing I knew, I was waking up in the hospital. I walked away with some bumps and bruises, but the trauma to my head caused a little brain damage. Hank thinks that might be why I can’t shut my blasts off.” Scott shrugged that off like it was nothing, despite the flare of pain that Remy picked up from him. He didn’t give the Cajun time to respond to it, just kept going. “I got up, even though everyone was yelling at me not to. Pop came storming in, demanding to know what was going on, and I told him I wanted to see Mom. He took me to her without question. That was my first clue things were bad. When I…when I got to her room, she was so pale, so tired looking. Dad set me down on the bed and Mom asked for us to be left alone. While we were alone, Mom, she pulled the bassinette over and introduced me to Spencer. She told me he was my baby brother and that it was going to be my responsibility to look after him for her. To keep him safe.”

Emotion clogged Scott’s throat so that he couldn’t speak for a moment. Remembered pain filled him. Remy could feel the echo of it and his own heart throbbed for the little boy and all he’d had to go through on that horrible night. He looked at Scott in a new light, seeing a little more to the man than he ever had before.

Eventually, Scott found his voice again. He cleared his throat, yet his voice still came out sounding just slightly hoarse. “She died about twenty minutes later. And I meant to do everything I could to keep my promise to her. But Pop…his grief was too much. He looked at Spencer and he blamed him for Mom dying. Too much damage had been done in the crash and in trying to save Spencer. Even though it was illogical, Pop looked at Spencer and to him, he saw the reason Mom wasn’t there anymore. He said once that he felt like he’d traded one for the other. It made him hate him. So, he was planning on putting Spencer up for adoption. Only, Mom’s cousins, the Reids, they said they’d take him. Pop did all the paperwork and he signed Spencer's life over to Diana and her bastard of a husband. Barely days after making that promise to Mom and I’d already failed at it.”

There was no way Remy could resist reaching out then. He curled his hand over Scott’s arm and gave it a squeeze. “Dere was no way y’ coulda stopped it. Y’ was, what, eight? Y’ couldn’t have done anyt’ing.”

“I know. I’ve come to terms with it. But that’s what started my protectiveness of him. I nagged at Pop and managed to get us visits, at least, and I did everything I could to look out for him as he grew up. I’ve failed in a hell of a lot of ways in it. He’s gone through things that would’ve broken a lesser person. Each time, he always comes out in the end, and each time makes me a little more protective. Mom wanted me to look out for him and that’s what I’ve tried so hard to do.” Some of his grief faded away and a small smile slipped out. He turned his face back towards Remy. “She would’ve liked you.” With one smooth move, Scott pushed off the door frame. He reached up and patted Remy’s hand, which still sat on his arm. “You’re good for him, Remy. Anyone can see that. And maybe it’s not my place, but he doesn’t really have a father figure to step in and say this, so I’m going to. The two of you have my blessing for this. I’m happy for you both.”

This time it was Remy who couldn’t speak. A lump had built in his throat. He had to swallow a few times just to be able to hoarsely say “ _Merci_. _Merci beaucoup._ ”

“Of course.” Without warning, Scott pulled him into a hug. “Welcome to the family.”

What else could Remy do? He hugged the man back and let himself absorb the positive touch and emotions like water in the desert. It was Scott who pulled back first, patting Remy’s shoulder one last time. “Enough of all this. The guys are waiting downstairs and you’ve got someone to tuck into bed. We’ll come back and see you guys tomorrow. Be ready by about eleven, cause we’re taking you out to lunch.”

“Sounds _bien_ to me.” Remy said with a smile.

After Scott left, Remy shut and locked the door. Then he simply stood there. Scott had been right about one thing; this had been one hell of a day. When he’d woken up this morning, this hadn’t been how he’d pictured his day to go either. But it was infinitely better. As he made his way back over towards Spencer, he couldn’t keep the smile off his lips. For as scared as he’d been to come here, everything was working out so much better than he’d thought it would. At least, so far. He had yet to see anyone else from the mansion or even decide if he wanted to. Right now, it was enough that he’d seen Logan and Scott and that things were okay there. _One step at a time_.

For now, he pushed those thoughts back to focus on the passed out man right in front of him. He debated trying to wake him up enough to move him but decided against it. Spencer wasn’t really heavy; it’d be easier to just get him up himself and take him to bed. With more strength than people would’ve credited him with, Remy got his arms underneath Spencer and carefully lifted him. It was just a short walk to the bed and then he was laying him down. After pulling off Spencer’s shoes, sling, and pants, Remy stripped himself as well and then slipped in beside him. He gathered Spencer close, smiling when the man snuggled up against him. Yes, today had been a hell of a day. But it had been a great day. He drifted off to sleep with a smile still on his lips.


	17. Chapter 17

The next day passed by in a blur of smiles and laughter and good memories in the making. Scott, Logan and Alex came by and spent almost all day with the couple. They went out to eat, but mostly they just stayed sprawled out in the hotel room and talked together. There were plenty of stories to be shared and old memories to be brought up. It was enough to keep them entertained with one another. Spencer got to hear stories about Remy and things that he’d done or things that had happened when he’d been living at the Mansion. Remy got to hear stories of Spencer in his younger years. It helped the couple to get to know one another just a little bit better and only cemented the love that was already there, though neither man had found the courage to say those words yet.

It was their second morning there that they finally broached the subject of the others at the Mansion. The morning started out simply enough. Spencer woke, warm and content, only to find himself alone in the bed. Sleepily he reached out with his empathy and found that Remy wasn’t far. Somewhere around the foot of the bed, actually. He cautiously blinked one eye open, wrinkling his nose slightly at the sunlight that came in. It took a moment for him to adjust to the light before he was able to clearly see Remy. The sight he found was a familiar one and it made his lips curve. Remy was sitting on the dresser near the foot of the bed, legs crossed and a sketchpad on his lap. He was dressed only in pajama pants and a tank top, his hair loose and still mussed from sleep. It hung down half over his face, brushed back almost absently just to fall right back to where it had been. Most all of Remy’s attention was focused on the image he was putting on paper with his pencil.

This wasn’t the first time Spencer had woken up to find Remy sketching. Sometimes the man had an idea that simply had to come out. Other times, he sketched a sleeping Spencer. The way his eyes darted up and back down occasionally said that right now he was sketching Spencer. At one point in time, that would’ve been enough to have Spencer uncomfortable and embarrassed. But he’d grown used to it. The personal pictures of him that Remy drew or painted weren’t put out for anyone else to see. They were mostly kept up in his studio, though there was a painting hanging in their bedroom of the two of them. It was an eight by ten picture that Remy had painted from an actual photo of the two. In it, Spencer was seated on the couch and Remy sprawled over his lap. The Cajun had been tired and he’d curled in close, one arm tucked behind Spencer, his face against Spencer's shoulder, and a hand over his heart. In return, Spencer had wrapped his arms around Remy, one hand on the small of his back and one on his hip. Both of them were asleep, yet there was no denying the intimacy between them. Derek had been the one to snap the picture of them.

Comfortable where he was, Spencer was content to just lie there and not move while Remy continued to draw. His eyes were barely open and a sleepy smile touched his lips. “How long have you been up?” He murmured.

Remy’s eyes flashed to his face for only a second. Then they were back on his sketchpad. The whole time, his hand never stopped moving. “Fo’ bout an hour. Already had m’ morning smoke and ordered us up some coffee. Den I looked over y’ and, _mais_ …”

“You couldn’t resist?” Spencer supplied.

“Pretty much. Y’ look so _beau_ lying dere like dat.” Briefly Remy looked up at him through those shaggy bangs and he gave a heart-stopping smile. “Y’r s’ easy to put onto paper, _mon mari_. I could start a whole collection of de sketches I got of y’ while y’r sleeping. It’d be m’ sleeping Spencer series. Maybe I’ll dedicate a section of m’ showing fo’ it, _oui_?”

“Maybe you’re fond of sleeping on the couch.”

Chuckling, Remy went back to his sketching. “Y’ so mean to y’r _pauvre mari_.”

Spencer's sleepy brain took a second to translate those words. When he did, he snorted. They meant ‘poor husband’. “You’re the one threatening to put up and sell pictures of me while I’m sleeping.”

“Like I’d ever really do dat. I’m too possessive, me. I aint sharing y’ with de world.”

Those words gave Spencer a nice, warm little glow inside. His lips curved a little more and he sighed out a contented breath. For a while the two stayed quiet, the only sound in the room being the scratching of the pencil over paper. It was Spencer who eventually broke that quiet and spoke again. His voice was pitched soft, suiting the mood of the room. “What did you want to do today? We’ve got just today and tomorrow left.”

There was no answer at first. Spencer kept his eyes closed and just waited out the silence. After a bit, Remy finally answered him, his tone just a little wry. “Why don’t y’ ask de question y’r really after here, Spencer? Y’ wanna know if I’m planning on going to see any of de others.”

Remy’s voice held no anger to it. Not even a hint of annoyance. Taking that as a good sign, Spencer smiled again, not bothering to lie about what he’d been hinting at. “True. So, are you?”

“ _Je ne sais pas_.” I don’t know. “A part of me wants to. I been t’inking about it ever since we decided to come see Scotty. I been t’inking about what it might feel like to see dem. About what I’d say to dem.” He paused and there was the sound of a soft sigh. “I know y’ don’t like to hear it, _mais_ dere’s a part of me dat just can’t be angry at dem, cher. Dat part of me still t’inks dat I deserved being punished fo’ what I did. Innocent people lost deir lives because of dis Cajun. It’s only right dat I suffer fo’ dat.”

Though it took extreme effort, Spencer said absolutely nothing, simply letting Remy talk out his thoughts. This was the most relaxed that Remy had ever been about things and the most open that he’d talked about it since he first told Spencer the truth of his past. Right now it was better to just be quiet and let him get this out.

Remy’s pencil never stopped moving as he spoke. The soft scratch-scratch of it seemed to blend in perfectly with his slightly raspy morning voice. “ _Mais_ , dere are parts of me dat are hurt, too. Hurt and just a bit angry. What makes m’ crimes so much worse dan deirs? Aint a one of dem dere dat’s pure. Why is it dat I’m de only one dat was judged and left to die? From Roguie, I can understand. She was stuck in m’ head, m’ memories, and dey was hurting her. She wasn’t t’inking straight. Warren, he’s always hated me, and he blames me fo’ losing his wings in de tunnels. _Mais_ de others…I never t’ought dey would leave me like dat. I never t’ought m’ Stormy would.”

“Maybe she didn’t.” Spencer said slowly.

The sound of the pencil moving stopped. “ _Quoi_?”

Opening his eyes, Spencer looked down towards Remy who was now sitting up straighter, staring at him. This was something that Spencer had thought about quite a bit; he’d just never said anything to Remy about it. He said it now, trying to word things carefully. “Well, if Scott was under the impression that you died, you have to think about how he got that impression. Did Rogue tell him that you were left to die, or that you were already dead when she found you? What exactly did she tell the others after she…she dropped you off?”

His question seemed to have stunned Remy. The man sat as if frozen, his eyes just a little wider, his mouth hanging open slightly. Spencer could feel the shock coming from him. This obviously wasn’t an angle that Remy had thought of. Realizing that made Spencer ache. It said a lot that he had never thought of any of his friends being innocent in this. His guilt, his self-hatred from the Massacre, was so deep rooted that he seemed to automatically believe others would feel the same way. He couldn’t conceive of them _not_ wanting to punish him for it, because he was so willing to punish himself. “If she told dem dat Remy was already dead…”

“Then you may have more friends at the house than you realize. Friends who have been grieving your death for almost a year.” Spencer finished when Remy trailed off. He rolled onto his back so that he could better watch Remy’s face. His partner was still sitting there, gaping at the air. Spencer kept his voice as soft and gentle as he could, eyes locked on Remy’s face as he said “Maybe they knew and maybe they didn’t. But don’t you think you owe it to yourself to find out? You’ll never fully know peace until you know, Remy. The question will always haunt you. And if they thought you were dead, if they didn’t know that she left you alive, then don’t you want the joy of reconnecting with people who were once an important part of your life?”

Even as he said the words, Spencer felt a pang in his heart that he quickly tried to block away. He didn’t want Remy to catch that emotion from him. There was a part of him, deep down inside, that didn’t want Remy to go talk to the others at the mansion. That part of him was afraid—no, terrified—that Remy would talk to the others and clear everything up…and then he would want to stay. Spencer was absolutely terrified that his husband was going to want to stay behind. The very last thing he wanted was to lose Remy. He didn’t know how he’d handle it. But he wasn’t going to force him to stay. This was important, a decision that Remy had to make on his own. Plus, more than anything else, Spencer wanted him happy. If being back with the X-Men made him happy, then Spencer would support it, even if it broke his heart.

Remy abruptly set down his sketchbook and unfolded himself from the dresser. In one smooth move he stepped forward and slipped onto the bed. Spencer got his arm up in just enough time for Remy to come curl up against him. Spencer held him close and tight, despite the ache from his still healing bruises. It tore at him to hear just how young and scared Remy sounded as he whispered against Spencer's chest. “Y’ll come wit’ me?”

“Of course. I’ll be right by your side.”

“ _Merci_.” Remy buried his face a little closer to Spencer, breathing him in. “I know I sound stupid. I sound like _un petit garcon_.”

Spencer pressed a kiss against Remy’s hair. “Hush. Maybe out there you have to act tough, and I understand why you do. But not here. Not with me.”

He felt a kiss get pressed against his shirt, close to his heart. “Y’r _un bon mari_ , Spencer. A very good husband.”

Anything more that might’ve been said was broken by a knock at the door. The two both jumped in surprise. Remy pulled back, chuckling at them. “Dat’s probably de coffee I ordered.”

“Well, by all means.” Spencer moved his arm, allowing Remy to climb up. He watched the man saunter across the room and just admired the sway of his hips as he went the play of material over a shape he knew so very well. It was all a very tantalizing view. He felt Remy’s humor and knew the man had picked up on his appreciation.

By the time Remy came back with the coffee, Spencer had finally managed to make himself at least sit up. He watched as Remy set the tray on the dresser and even prepared both cups. Then he brought them over to the bed, handing one to Spencer before sitting down with his own. Spencer leaned back against the headboard, adjusting carefully until he was comfortable. The first sip of the coffee had him sighing, though he couldn’t help but add “Our coffee tastes better.”

Humor quirked Remy’s lips. “Dat’s cause I make ours de right way. Don’t know one in dese parts make coffee right.”

“I’m inclined to agree. But, this’ll do for now. I’ve survived off much worse.”

“I bet. Police station coffee aint never good.”

They fell into a comfortable silence then that lasted them through most of their first cup of coffee. It was when Remy was getting up to make the next cup that he broke the silence. With his back to Spencer, he suddenly said “I wanna go to de Mansion. Today.”

Though Remy couldn’t see it, Spencer nodded. “Okay.”

“After our coffee, den?”

“And a shower.” Spencer looked down at himself and wrinkled his nose. There was no way he was leaving the hotel room without a shower. He always started his day with coffee and a shower. “Definitely a shower first.”

“Y’ want some company?”

Spencer's head snapped up and he was already smiling by the time Remy turned to look over his shoulder at him. There was no way in hell he was going to refuse an offer like that.  “Absolutely.” He unfolded his legs and rose from the bed. With his smile still firmly in place, he set his cup on the dresser and went towards the bathroom. That smile grew when he heard Remy fall into step behind him. Yes, this was definitely proving to be a good morning so far.

CXCX

An hour and a half later, Remy was pulling the car into a gas station. Not for gas, but because he was out of cigarettes and there was no way he was going to go through today without at least a pack on him. Spencer waited in the car. He sat and stared out the window and wondered to himself how today was going to go. Was it a mistake to encourage Remy to go? He didn’t want to see Remy get hurt. But he honestly believed that Remy would never be able to find peace until he faced these people and figured out what he was going to do. One way or another, he needed to know.

Spencer saw the door to the station open and Remy came strolling out, slipping not only a couple packs of cigarettes into his pocket, but another pack of cards. Ah. He was planning on being prepared for anything, it looked like. That was both reassuring and yet not all at the same time. Nice to know that he was prepared for it, and worrisome that he felt the need to prepare. Just as Remy got close to the car, he stopped, looking down at his feet. Spencer shifted up in his seat a little and saw what had stopped Remy. There was a teenage girl sitting against one wall with a box of puppies beside her. She’d been blocked from Spencer's view before by the newspapers and the payphone, but he could see her now as she moved to grab the puppy that was standing at Remy’s feet. It was a cute little puppy, a light fawn color with the black face and flopped ears.

He watched Remy bend down and scoop the puppy up. When it immediately licked at his face, Remy started to laugh. He lit up in a way that had Spencer unable to help but smile. Having seen Remy with Derek’s dog Clooney, he already knew that Remy was a dog person, and he knew from talks they’d had that Remy had always wanted one as a kid. It had been a ‘normal’ thing that he’d longed for when he was younger. Spencer had wanted a dog once, way back when. But a dog just hadn’t been a good idea when he was little. Or, at any time since then. Once he got older, he started to shy away from them, slightly nervous around some. Dogs tended to bark or growl at him. The ‘Reid effect’, his team jokingly called it. Though, Clooney did well enough around him.

Watching Remy now, he could see the way the man cradled the dog close as he chattered away at the teenage girl there. Then Remy turned to look toward the car and his smile was so bright and charming, Spencer was instantly suspicious. _Oh, no. He_ cannot _be thinking what I think he is._ Spencer cautiously opened his door and climbed out of the car. As soon as he was out, Remy waved him over. “Cher! Come look at dis _jolie fille_.” He waited until Spencer got close and then lifted the puppy up, holding it out for him to see. “Aint she _belle_?”

“Very pretty. Remy…”

Remy cut him off before he could get anything out, just speaking right over top of him. “De _femme_ here says dat she’s de last one. Don’t no one want her cause she was de smallest. De _femme_ says she’s about half de size of her siblings.”

Oh, God. He _was_ thinking what Spencer feared he was. Remy was actually going to try to convince him to take this puppy home.  Wide eyes fixed on the dog that Remy still held up. He wanted to take this dog home? With _them_? Sure, she was cute and all. But she was a, a _dog_! Dogs didn’t like him and he didn’t tend to get along with them. They terrified him sometimes with their big barks and tons of sharp teeth. Plus, this dog looked like it was going to be a big one! He could see a mix of breeds in her, but the predominate look to her face was one that Spencer recognized from when he’d helped Alex research dogs when he’d been thinking about getting one—bullmastiff. Those were _huge_ dogs!

He didn’t even have to ask about breeds. Remy was apparently prepared for anything. He brought her in close again and kept his bright, charming smile pasted on, pouring all he had into it as he said “She’s a mixed breed. Her Mama was a bullmastiff and her Papa was a bullmastiff/shepherd mix. She was de runt, though, so she’ll prolly be a whole lot smaller dan dose. But dose are good breeds. Good fo’ security and fo’ company.”

“The whole family is pretty laid back. Not extremely active. They’re pretty content to lay around with their human family. The Mom, she likes to stretch out at our feet a lot. And they almost never bark, except if there’s trouble.” The teenage girl threw out. She stood beside the box now, watching them both with a hint of a smile. Damn her, she was in on this too.

“Remy.” Spencer spoke up quickly, trying to get his words out before Remy could railroad him again. “Dogs don’t like me. You know that. They know I’m scared of them. I still have issues with Clooney. And bullmastiffs, they get big. Extremely big.”

That didn’t even break Remy’s stride. “Mais she’s de runt, so she aint gonna be dat big. And y’ll do fine wit’ a pup dat y’ helped raise up. Y’ aint gonna be scared of one another by de time she’s big cause y’ll be used to one another.” He stepped closer to Spencer and held the puppy out once more so that Spencer had no real choice but to try and hold her. His arm protested the movement; he’d just taken his sling off this morning and he was still stiff and sore, though better than he had been. The puppy came right to him and he swore she was in on this too, as she dropped her head against his shoulder and licked at his neck.

“She’s ten weeks old, so she’s ready to go right now. And she comes with a bag of food and a leash and collar.” The girl offered helpfully.

Remy reached out to stroke over the puppy’s head, which still rested on Spencer's shoulder. Then he gave the final nail in the coffin. “It’ll be nice to have someone dere when y’r gone, _mon mari._ Someone dat can help keep watch and keep me company when y’r off on a case.”

Spencer's eyes narrowed. “That’s fighting dirty.” Still, he looked at Remy’s hopeful face, felt the barely contained excitement, then down at the little puppy face that was looking up at him so earnestly, and he knew he was the biggest sucker on the face of the earth. Though he already regretted it before he even did it, he knew what his answer was going to be. He turned his eyes over to the girl and to the sign on the side of the box. Then he let out a deep, gusty sigh, handing the puppy over to Remy before reaching for his wallet. “You know what Morgan would say to me right now?” He asked conversationally as he counted out forty dollars, just as the sign said. Beside him, Remy’s whole face had lit up and he was clutching the puppy close to him like she was the single most precious thing in the world. Spencer shook his head and handed his money to the girl. “He’d say I was whipped. You get your way far, far too easily, Remy. I have _got_ to learn how to tell you no.”

“Spencer!” With a happy cry, Remy threw himself at Spencer, holding the puppy with one arm and flinging his other around Spencer's neck in a tight hug. When he pulled back, he shifted his hand to the back of Spencer's head, yanking him in for a kiss. His joy and gratitude were like fireworks in Spencer's mind.

Around them, Spencer heard laughter from a few people who had stopped to watch. Spencer's cheeks heated a little when they broke apart and he saw people watching not only form their cars, but a couple had stopped near the entrance of the little convenience store. Remy paid no attention to them whatsoever. He was too caught up in the moment to care about what anyone else thought. “Y’ won’t be disappointed, Spencer. She’ll be a _bon chien_ , y’ll see. Y’ two are gonna love each other!”

Spencer eyed the dog warily, not quite so sure about Remy’s statement. However, the joy in his partner made this worth it. While dog and owner loved on one another, the teenage girl was gathering the promised supplies. She handed Spencer the bag of dog food with a bright, sunny smile, and then turned to attach a pink rhinestone collar to the puppy’s neck. “We’ve been calling her Nyssa, but she’s young enough that you two can easily change her name and it won’t confuse her.” She told them as she hooked the collar on. She handed the leash to Remy, as well as a piece of paper, and he stuffed it down into his pocket.

Hearing the name had Spencer chuckling. “I rather like that name.”

The girl laughed and flashed him another sunny smile. “A fan?” She asked. At his nod, she laughed again. “Nice! I feel even better now, knowing I’m sending her with a fellow Whovian. You two enjoy!”

In short order, the couple were back in the car with the newest member of their family. Remy settled in the driver’s seat, holding the puppy—Nyssa—in his lap. No sooner did he let go of her than she scrambled across his lap, right over the center console, and plopped herself down in Spencer's lap. He looked down in surprise as she practically flopped on him, her head going to rest on his arm. Maybe she was the runt and maybe she was half the size of her siblings as that girl had told Remy. Either way, she was still large for a ten week old puppy.

Remy laughed at the look of consternation that Spencer gave Nyssa. “I t’ink she likes y’, Spencer.”

“Wonderful.” Spencer said dryly. He tried to move her, not quite sure he wanted her lying on him. But she just readjusted and stayed right on his lap, only now she was sitting there and staring out his window. After a few attempts, he resigned himself to the fact that she was there to stay. “I can’t believe I let you convince me to buy a dog. A _dog_ , Remy.”

“Aint y’ ever wanted a dog?”

“Well, of course I did. Doesn’t every child at some point or another? But you’ve seen me, even with Clooney! Dogs and I do not get along.” They made him extremely nervous.

Smirking, Remy cast a look at his lap where Nyssa was still staring out the window. “She seems to like y’ well enough.”

There was nothing he could say to that, so he ignored the point entirely and moved on to something else. As always his brain sought out the practical aspect of things. “We’ll need to pick up a few things for her. And we need to get her in to a vet to be checked over and so she can receive any necessary shots.”

“ _Mais oui_. Jill, de _femme_ , she gave me a copy of her vet papers so we can take it to de vet back home. She’s already had some shots.” As he pulled the car out of the parking lot and onto the road, Remy flashed a quick look over to Spencer, just slightly nervous. “Are y’ really upset about dis, Spencer? I mean, are y’ sure y’r okay wit’ bringing her home? I know I kinda bombarded y’ dere.”

“You ambushed me.” Spencer corrected. He tempered the words with a smile that took any sting out of them. “It’s fine, Remy. I may not be entirely comfortable, but I will adjust. She makes you happy and for me, that’s a good enough reason to bring her.”

A light flush warmed Remy’s cheeks. He said nothing more as he turned the car down the road.

CXCX

Spencer had text Scott before they’d even left the hotel to let him know they were coming out to the Mansion. He’d gotten a message back that Alex was already there, having stayed at the Mansion last night, and that they’d be waiting for their arrival. But when the young couple pulled up the driveway and parked their car, it wasn’t Scott that they found outside. Remy had just shut the car off when two women came walking out the front door talking and laughing with one another. One look and Spencer had a pretty good idea who one was and he was positive on the other. The woman with the white hair could only be Ororo. The other girl with short black hair he thought might be Jubilee.

The sight of them froze Remy in place. All of a sudden what they were about to do was very, very real to him, and Spencer could see the fear that flashed over his face before his expression locked down. Spencer reached over and took hold of his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. He could see that Remy was frozen in place. It looked like he’d have to prod him out of the car. There was one quick way to do that. Spencer opened up his car door and simply started to get out, holding Nyssa against him with one arm. That wasn’t exactly the smartest move; he couldn’t help but wince a little. He ignored it and stood all the way up, keeping Nyssa tucked against him, and then he shut his door and moved around the car. By the time he reached the other side of the car, Remy was just starting to come back to life.

The two women had both looked over at the sound of the car door. They watched now as the driver’s door opened. Spencer held his hand out to Remy while watching the women at the same time. Because he was watching them, he saw when they realized who it was that was climbing from the car. Ororo’s eyes went wide at the first sight of him. Her whole body seemed frozen in place; even the winds around them had stilled. Jubilee stared with her mouth hanging open until Remy had shut the car door. Then she sprang to life. Letting out a loud shriek, she almost flew across the space between them, taking a giant leap when she got close. Remy let go of Spencer in just enough time to catch the flying girl. He stumbled only slightly before catching his balance.

Jubilee had her arms tight around his neck and was hugging him for all she was worth. “Remy! Oh my God!” She pulled back and grinned brightly up at him. “Wolvie was right! He always said he wouldn’t believe you were dead until he, like, saw your body. Oh my God!” With another squeal she was hugging him once more.

While those two hugged, Spencer watched Ororo. He saw as she brought a shaking hand up to cover her mouth. Her shock was a palpable thing to him, as was the grief and confusion and joy. Nature seemed to have frozen with her. She stood there, unmoving, as Remy set Jubilee off to the side. The Cajun locked eyes with her and took a single step forward. “Stormy.”

“Remy.” She breathed his name in a soft whisper as if afraid to voice it. Her still shaking hand moved away from her mouth, hesitantly reaching out to him, and Remy reacted immediately. He took a few more steps forward, his own hand reaching out to her. Their fingers touched, just a soft brush, and her whole body trembled. Spencer watched her lips quiver, mouthing an almost silent word. “Brother.” And suddenly he was reaching out and folding her into his arms and it was as if the world around them came to life. Clouds that Spencer hadn’t noticed above them grew even thicker and a low boom of thunder echoed with the first sob that broke past her lips. She buried herself in Remy’s arms and the first few drops of rain fell with the first tears that slid from her eyes. Remy just held her closer, one hand up to stroke her hair, and his love for her was like a warm light to Spencer's senses, wrapping around the two.

Spencer watched them and he felt his heart bleed a little for them both. For one who had thought she’d lost a brother, and the other who had thought he had a sister who no longer cared.


	18. Chapter 18

For once in his life, Remy didn’t mind the light rain that fell on him. He wasn’t bothered by the thunder that rumbled in the sky, or the winds that whipped around them. All of his attention was on the woman at the center of this tempest. He held Ororo close to him and just reveled in the ability to be able to do so. He had thought he’d never be able to hold her again, this woman that he would always see like a little sister. No matter how she grew or how she changed, he would always look at her and see the young girl she had been when he’d first met her.

She pulled back just enough to lift her face to him and the tears shining on her cheeks brought a soft sound of pain to Remy’s lips. He moved his hand away from her hair, brushing away her tears with a knuckle. “Don’t cry, petit. Y’ know Remy can’t stand seeing y’ cry.”

“I cannot help myself.” She whispered to him. “I thought you were dead, brother. I thought you had died with anger still between us. Praise the Goddess that you are here now, alive. I have missed you so.”

“Remy missed y’ too. _Mon petit_ Stormy.” Cupping her cheek, he looked into eyes that had always seen him and yet never judged him and he found the same understanding and love that had always been there. “Wasn’t sure if y’d wanna see me.”

“We have much to talk about and much to resolve. But where I am, you will always be welcome, Remy. Always. Never doubt that.”

Murmuring a soft sound, he pulled her in for another hug, drinking in the familiar feel of her emotions. One of the broken places inside of him started to heal over.

CXCX

Up on the porch, Scott stood and watched two of his friends reconnect and it made him smile. Ororo had been angry when she first came home after events in Antarctica. Angry, yet grieving. She and Scott had talked a few times—it was his job, as team leader, to make sure that his team was taken care of and that they had a place to go to talk if they needed it—and she’d told him that she may have been angry at finding out about Remy’s part in the massacre, but that she wished she could have spoken to him one last time to talk about things and to let him know that he was loved, no matter what. She firmly believed that they would’ve been able to talk and figure things out, because, as she put it, the Remy she knew would never be a part of such a slaughter. She was convinced there was so much more than any of them knew. Only, no one had asked about it at the time, and then Rogue told them that he was dead when she went to save him and they all lost their chance to ask any questions ever again.

Questions would be asked now. People would want answers. Scott only hoped that Remy was prepared for it. However, he wasn’t the only one that was going to have to answer to things. Rogue would as well. So far, Scott had yet to say anything to her. He hadn’t said anything to anyone, at Remy’s request. Now with Remy’s arrival, with him reuniting with people here and letting it be known that he was alive, now it was time for answers, and Scott intended to get them from all parties. Once he had those answers, he would decide what to do.

As he watched the two holding each other, it made Scott glad that he’d scheduled training the way he had. He’d wanted to give Remy a good, positive start with his return, so he’d taken those that he thought might cause the most trouble and set them up in a Danger Room session with Logan. That would allow Remy to encounter people that Scott knew would be happy to see him first. Once he had his support system built, then it would be time to bring the others in. Maybe it would give Remy the security needed to face the others. To face Rogue.

His eyes drifted over to where Spencer stood by the car and for a second, he couldn’t believe his eyes. His grin came back and he made his way down the steps and over to where his baby brother stood. “Well I’ll be damned. Are you actually standing there holding a dog, Sherlock? A _dog_?”

Jubilee turned at the sound of Scott’s voice. Spencer looked up at him and scowled, looking about as threatening as a wet kitten. “Ha, ha, Scott. You are so very funny.” Sarcasm dripped from every word.

Snickering, Scott stopped beside him, looking the dog over. All it took was a look at the puppy’s face to see at least part of its breed. One of his elementary school friends had once had a dog like that. “A bullmastiff? Really? Those are big dogs.”

“Thank you, Scott. I never would’ve figured that out on my own.” Spencer shot back. His scowl grew a little more. “She’s only part bullmastiff. There’s also a quarter shepherd mixed in there.”

“Where on earth did you get a dog from? And _why_?”

“We got her from the gas station, of all places. And why?” With a long suffering sigh, Spencer looked over to Remy and Ororo. “Because I am apparently incapable of telling him no.”

That was enough to turn Scott’s snicker into an outright laugh. “You are completely whipped, Sherlock.”

Spencer's scowl shifted from the dog, up to Scott. “If I wasn’t holding this dog, I might punch you for that.”

“I’m almost scared.”

“Shut up, boom-boom.”

Now it was Scott’s turn to scowl. Spencer and Alex had coined that nickname back when Scott had first come into his powers and they only used it to irritate him. It never failed. “You shut up, Taser boy.”

“Ugh.” Spencer looked utterly disgusted by him. “Why don’t you go back in the house? Don’t you have someone else you could be torturing right now?”

“Nope. My schedule is completely open. I’m free to torture you all I want.”

“To quote Alex—bite me, boom-boom.”

A startled laugh erupted from Jubilee, who was watching the two of them with wide, amused eyes. Two more laughs joined in the mix and Scott saw Remy and Ororo coming over, hand in hand. Around them, the rain was slowly starting to let up. Spencer flushed at all the attention and Scott sighed, though one corner of his mouth twitched slightly with the urge to smile. He looked at Jubilee, who he knew didn’t even know about Spencer, and he told her “Jubilee, Ororo, allow me to introduce my baby brother, Dr. Spencer Reid. Sherlock, the little spitfire beside you is our Jubilation Lee and the beauty with Remy is Ororo Munroe.”

“Baby brother?” Jubilee’s eyebrows shot up for a moment before her face stretched wide with a grin that she turned toward Spencer. “Wow. It’s like, really great to meet you. I didn’t know Cyke had another brother.”

“Not many people do. I’m a rather well-kept secret.” Spencer said the words without a trace of mockery or sarcasm. He meant them honestly and that only made Scott wince all the more.

Ororo smoothed over the moment with her usual smile and grace. “It is a pleasure to be able to finally meet you, Spencer. I’ve heard many stories about you from your brothers and I look forward to the chance to get to know you myself.”

A blush heated Spencer's cheeks. He gave that Summers half-grin that all the boys possessed and on him, it had this sort of natural shy kind of charm to it that had endeared him to quite a few people. “The pleasure is all mine, ma’am.”

With a delighted laugh, Remy teased him. “Charmer.” He flashed a wink at Spencer over the top of his sunglasses, earning him a smothered grin and a mock scowl that didn’t deter Remy at all. The Cajun just reached out a hand for him, never losing his smile. It warmed Scott’s heart to watch how easily Spencer stepped up to him and slipped in against his side. Scott still couldn’t quite get used to seeing his brother so at ease with another person. It was just so strange to see Spencer lose his awkwardness with someone that wasn’t Scott or Alex. But he was more comfortable around Remy than he’d ever been around anyone outside the family. It was strange and wonderful all at the same time. There was no denying that his brother and Remy were good for one another. They were a pairing he never would’ve thought of on his own and yet they completed each other perfectly.

Remy reached into his pocket, pulling out a leash that he then attached to the dog’s collar before he picked her up and set her on the grass, the main part of the leash looped over his wrist. Now that their hands were free, Remy took Spencer's hand in his, lacing their fingers together. “Spencer aint just Scotty’s _frère_. He’s _mon mari_ —m’ husband.”

“ _What_?” Jubilee’s exclamation echoed around them at the same time that Ororo softly breathed out “Oh!”

Remy and Spencer exchanged a look that spoke clearer than words of the affection they held for one another. “ _Oui_.” Remy told the two ladies. “Been married almost five months now. I’m Remy Reid now.”

It only took a second before Ororo was moving forward and embracing Spencer in a welcoming hug. Scott watched with amusement as Spencer's blush deepened and he awkwardly hugged the weather goddess back. Scott watched the trio and judged the time was just right. He reached out to that little mental line that Jean had kept ready after he’d left her inside and came outside. They’d been talking in his office when the boys arrived; she was the only one that Scott had broken his silence for. As soon as he’d gotten Spencer's text and he knew what was going to happen, he’d recruited Jean and Logan to help him with things, as well as Alex. Logan had Rogue and Warren, the two that they all knew would probably cause the most trouble, as well as Bobby and Kurt, two that would most likely not cause any trouble. Jean was with Bishop, who they weren’t sure about, and Betsy and Hank, who they knew wouldn’t cause problems. Betsy would be indifferent for the most part while Hank would be openly happy.

Only a second after he touched that line in his mind, Jean’s voice came in response. _//Yes, Scott?//_

 _//Things are going great so far. These two were the best to send out first. I think we’re ready now to bring out the next group of people//_ Scott thought back towards her.

He felt her agreement. _//We’re on our way//_

Scott smiled and prepared himself inside for the next round. He kept close to Spencer and therefore, close to Remy. No matter what happened, no matter what reactions anyone gave, he was going to make it very clear just whose side he was on and what exactly he would put up with. They had failed their friend once; he wasn’t about to let them do it again.

CXCX

It all seemed like it was a part of some dream. Remy sat in a chair on the back porch of the Mansion, surrounded by friends he had thought would never speak to him again. None of this was going anything like he’d thought it would. Anytime he’d imagined coming back here, he had pictured anger and grief and heartache. Not this, this sense of such _happiness_. First Ororo and Jubilee, both of whom had been happy to see him. Then Jean, who welcomed him with wide arms and a sunny smile. Bishop had kept quiet and faded away quickly, saying nothing about this revelation, but Betsy had surprised him with smiles and a hug as well as some lighthearted teasing when she saw him and Spencer holding hands. Hank had welcomed him back as well and then stunned Remy completely by apologizing to him. Apologizing! As if he’d done something wrong!

Scott had been the one to suggest they move to the back porch so that Nyssa could run free and they could all sit and talk and drink a little. Everyone settled down in the lawn chairs back there, while Scott fired up the grill with the proclamation that they were going to have a celebratory barbeque lunch, and Jean and Hank brought out a cooler that they filled with ice and beers and soda, and a bottle of wine. Remy ended up in one of the patio chairs, with Spencer seated between his legs, laying back against his chest with his head resting over his heart. Remy laid one arm over Spencer's shoulder, his hand going to fiddle with one of the buttons on the front of Spencer's shirt. He made sure it was his good shoulder, knowing that Spencer other shoulder still pained him more than he wanted to admit to. Against Remy’s protests, Spencer was without his sling today, a full two days earlier than the doctor had wanted. There was no way of making him wear it, though. Remy had to settle for simply keeping an eye on him so he wouldn’t use it too much.

At first they had attached Nyssa’s leash to the leg of the chair so that she could either sit with them or run around in a confined area near them. But that soon changed when Jubilee ended up on the ground, playing with the puppy. She had a stuffed penguin that she didn’t seem to mind sacrificing to a set of puppy teeth. As they got into playing, Spencer unhooked the leash so that it would be easier, telling Remy “Even if she runs here, she’ll come back. We’re her source of food right now and she knows that.”

Everything was just feeling good. He should’ve known that something that good couldn’t last. He’d risen from his chair and was bent over the cooler to grab another beer when the back door opened and voices echoed out to him. One voice in particular hit him with the force of a fist to the gut. “Looks like everyone’s having a party without us!” Rogue said with a laugh.

Slowly, Remy straightened up, his eyes going unerringly towards the one that he had known would be the hardest to see.

Any laughter on the porch died away. Honestly, everything around Remy seemed to fade away for that moment. All he could see was the woman who stood just as frozen as he. Clearly he felt as the shock almost bowled her over. Then came the sharp edge of something else; anger. No, not just anger. It grew and transformed into absolute fury. “You! What the hell are you doing here?”

Remy stared at her and he felt the pain, felt the heartache, and yet, it was nothing like what he had thought it would be. He grieved for what had once been there between them and for what had been destroyed by his demons. He grieved for the girl he had courted and the woman she could’ve been. But any love that had once been in his heart for her…it was gone. He looked at her and he felt only the grief, the pain, and just a hint of anger, but none of that love that had once filled him simply from looking at her. Whether it had been lost, or the Artic had frozen it away from him, he didn’t know. But it was gone.

He let none of that show on the outside, though. The other shield he’d been struggling with the past few days suddenly seemed to flow seamlessly into place. He would never let her see how badly she had hurt him or what damage she had caused. He wrapped himself in a coolness that gave away nothing of his true feelings inside. “Remy aint gotta answer to y’ no more, _femme_. His business is his own.”

“You got a lotta nerve, coming here!” She snarled at him. She strode forward to get right up in his face. Remy discreetly waved his hands at the others to gesture them to stay back when he felt some of them start to move forward. He looked down into her face and kept his expression as bored as he could make it. “Remy aint here to fight wit’ y’.” He told her calmly. “He’s here fo’ family and his _amis_. Just let it go, Rogue, and walk away. Y’r good at dat.”

He turned to walk away from her, only to feel her hand wrap around his bicep and yank him back, hard. His eyes flashed as he looked down at her hand and back up at her face. “Let go.”

“Ah’m not done talking to ya yet.”

Remy’s voice dropped a few degrees. “Let go. Now.”

“Or what?”

A different voice entirely answered that question. “Or I’ll help you let go.” Spencer said. His voice was harder and colder than Remy had ever heard it before; harder than he’d known Spencer could even sound. The awkward, shy genius was striding over towards them, looking nowhere near as calm as he usually did. Temper was clear in every inch of him, most especially in the electrical storm that raged in his eyes. He walked over to them and Remy couldn’t stop himself from admiring the sudden grace that temper gave to that lanky frame. Spencer stopped right beside him and didn’t hesitate to put one hand on Remy’s shoulder, angling himself so that he wasn’t protecting Remy, but was very obviously beside him for whatever became necessary. It warmed Remy’s heart to have Spencer not only stand up for him, but not try to take over. Instead, he was putting himself at Remy’s side to face whatever came as a unit, not as an individual. He fixed those flashing eyes on Rogue and they were enough to make her take a half step back. “Now, take your hand off him.”

She reacted without even thinking about it. Her hand released and Remy took a full step back, moving Spencer back with him. It only took Rogue a second to recover from her shock. Then fury once more lit her face and she took a threatening step toward them. “Ah don’t know who the hell you are, but get the hell outta mah way! This is between me and that traitor!”

“He’s Remy’s husband.” Remy said. His voice had cooled as well and there was a warning in his tone that wasn’t forced this time. “So y’ watch y’r mouth wit’ him, _femme_. And y’ watch y’r words, too. Remy aint no traitor. He aint the one that left a teammate to die out on de ice and den _lied_ about it to de whole house.”

“No.” She sneered once more. “You’re the one who led a group of sadistic murders against innocent people. Tell me, which one’s worse, sugah?”

The words brought up images in his mind, things he usually fought to keep buried but that had been so close to the surface since they’d come to New York. Those images stole his breath away. For a brief second he could see the slaughter, smell the stench of death and blood in the air, hear the cries that rent straight to his soul, even taste the sharp tang of blood and bile in his mouth. The sensations threatened to overwhelm him and draw him under. Then another sensation pushed in, warm and light, and Remy reached for it without a thought. He grabbed at it, letting it wrap around him until he was entirely cocooned in this warm blanket of positive emotions. It centered him in enough time to hear Scott’s steady voice saying “Are you admitting to knowingly leaving him behind to die on the ice?”

Rogue gaped at Scott in disbelief. “You know what he did! How can ya just let him come here and walk around like he aint done anything wrong? He’s a murderer!”

“No more than you are.” Spencer shot out. His hand clenched only briefly on Remy’s shoulder before relaxing. The steady stream of warmth around Remy never faltered; Spencer kept him cocooned in those positive feelings. “No more than any of us here. All of us here have killed, or caused deaths, whether intentionally or unintentionally. He’s no different than you or I in that aspect.”

For the first time since they’d come out, Warren spoke up. His voice carried a wealth of hatred and disgust; more so than Remy had ever felt from him. “He’s a murderer, a whore and a traitor, and he doesn’t belong here with us. He should’ve died out there. Just because you were stupid enough to fall for his tricks and marry him doesn’t mean we should have to put up with him, Reid.”

“The day your opinion matters to me, I’ll be sure to consult you, Worthington.” Spencer's voice was practically dripping acid.

In one smooth move, Scott and Logan both stepped forward, neatly placing themselves between Warren and Spencer, also putting them between Remy and Rogue. “That’s enough.” Scott said firmly. “Spencer, curb your temper, now. Warren, back off. Remy’s here because I invited him. If you’ve got a problem with that, well, I’m sorry. No one’s forcing you to stay back here.”

Warren looked over them all, looking at the people who were quietly standing around and watching. His eyes settled once more on Remy and Spencer and the disgust and anger there grew even more. It looked like he wanted to say something, but he restrained himself, settling for a nasty “You two aren’t worth my time.” And then he was gone, storming in the house with Rogue hot on his heels.

The porch stayed quiet for a long moment. Alex was the one to break the silence by snorting and saying “I’ve got just one last, important question.” He looked around at them all before looking down at where Jubilee still sat with the puppy. “Whose dog is that?”

Laughter echoed around in the afternoon air.

CXCX

Spencer waited patiently for everything to smooth back out. He kept an eye on the emotions around him, feeling as everyone pushed aside the drama and chose to celebrate instead. Mostly, he watched Remy’s emotions, making sure that the man was going to be okay. That was the most important thing. He stuck close to Remy’s side, the two of them always touching in some way or another, and he let his presence comfort the man. Only when Remy started to laugh and there was no hint of falseness in it did Spencer feel that he would be safe to step away. He briefly touched Remy’s arm, drawing his attention. Leaning in, he gave him a kiss, murmuring “I’ll be right back.”

He’d judged his time right. Instead of looking nervous, Remy just smiled. “ _D’accord._ Hurry back, _mon mari_.”

Spencer gave him one last smile before turning and slipping through the crowd and into the house. He’d purposely not told Remy where he was going and he was discreet now to make sure that no one saw where he went. Let them think he was in the bathroom. There was something else entirely that he wanted to take care of.

Ever since Remy had first told him how Warren felt about him, Spencer had wondered. From the sounds of things it seemed like Warren had disliked him right from the get go. Like he hadn’t even given him a chance. Remy assumed it had something to do with Warren having money and Remy looking like he barely had a dime to his name. Or that maybe they just rubbed one another the wrong way. But one thought had nagged at the back of Spencer's mind and wouldn’t quite go away. After seeing the amount of disgust and anger from Warren just a bit ago, that nagging thought was back, stronger than ever, and Spencer knew he had to find out the truth. So he set off through the house, using his empathy to search out the emotional signature of Warren.

He found him inside a room that looked to be a rec room, watching a movie on a big screen TV. For a brief second Spencer stared at the back of his head. Talking to Warren was never a pleasant experience and this was going to be even more unpleasant. Spencer had met Warren a long time ago, back when he’d just started coming into his own powers. Scott had brought Warren home with him on a break one time so that he could introduce his best friend to his brothers. After one fateful vacation, Warren never came home with him to visit again, and Scott spent months furious with his brothers for the pranks they’d played. But while Alex and Warren seemed to have found some kind of peace, animosity still existed between Spencer and Warren. The young genius knew why; it was something he’d never told Scott. He’d never told anyone.

 _I have to know the truth_ he reminded himself. _Just suck it up, as Alex says._ Another deep breath and he stepped further into the room, his footsteps finally alerting Warren that someone else was there. The winged man turned around and his surprise was obvious when he saw that it was Spencer waiting for him. Then his face transformed, twisting into a sneer. “What do you want?”

“I need to ask you something.” Spencer licked suddenly dry lips. He wasn’t sure he wanted to do this, but he had to know. He had to know the truth. “I need to know why you hate Remy.”

Warren’s sneer grew more pronounced. “How cute. In here, defending your husband’s honor. Not that he has any.”

 _Don’t get mad, don’t get mad, don’t get mad._ “Just answer the question, Worthington. Why do you hate him?”

Rising from the couch, Warren kept his eyes on Spencer, looking just slightly suspicious. “It’s like I said out there. He’s a whore. A liar and a whore and a traitor. Do I need any better reasons?”

“From my understanding, you hated him long before all this came out, Warren. So let’s try for the truth. Why do you hate him?” Spencer countered coldly. His warnings not to get mad weren’t working. He could feel his temper building in him, feeding off the temper building in Warren.

Warren’s hands clenched into fists. “That is the truth!”

“The hell it is.” Spencer's eyes sparked with light as they locked on to Warren’s face. “The hell it is, Worthington.” Unable to stop himself, Spencer took a step forward, his fears coming to the forefront and mixing with his temper, giving him courage. “You and I both know what this is really about. It’s because of his empathy, isn’t it? All it took was hearing about his charm and you never even gave him a chance, did you?”

The normally calm man almost vibrated with his emotion. “I know what he is. Just like I…” The words cut off abruptly with an almost strangled sound.

Spencer took a step forward, his face hard. “Just like you know what I am, right? Is that what you were going to say next? You know what he is just like you know what I am. Dammit, Warren!” The sudden shout ripped out before he got himself under control. _Calm, calm. I need to be calm._ “I get that you hate me. As stupid and wrong as your reasoning is, I get it. But you cannot let it carry over and spew onto someone else that has done nothing wrong simply because of something you think I did!”

“I know what you did, you manipulative little shit. I know!”

It took everything had for Spencer not to scream. “How many times do I have to tell you? _I did not do it_! What you felt, I did not fabricate. They were all your own emotions. It’s not my fault if you can’t accept that and it sure as hell isn’t Remy’s fault. Are you going to blame every empath you ever come across simply because you cannot accept what you did?” Without temper carrying the way, Spencer spoke more than he should have, snapping out “I didn’t force you to have sex with me, Warren Worthington. You did that all on your own!”

The bluntness of his words had Warren startling back. “Would you shut up?” He hissed out. “I don’t need the whole world hearing you!”

“You think I want people knowing?” Spencer fired back. “Trust me, I know what’ll happen if I tell that truth. Why do you think I’ve kept so quiet over the years? It wasn’t for _your_ benefit. What’s between you and I, that’s between us. I hate you for what you did and you hate me for what you think I did. But I’ll be damned if I let you punish other empaths, punish Remy, just because you can’t handle who you are.”

“Who I am? I know who I am. And what the hell do you mean, what I did? I didn’t do anything! You manipulated me into doing it all!’

“ _I didn’t do anything_!” Fury crested in Spencer, making him clench his fists to fight to keep the electricity burning inside of him on the inside, not arcing out of him. That would do nothing but cause destruction. It made his eyes spark and glow as he glared at Warren. “I deliberately made sure _not_ to manipulate you, Warren! I made a point not to do it. You really think I’d set out to seduce you? The lust you felt, that was all yours! I didn’t want it!”

“If you didn’t want it, then why the hell did you offer it? You stood right there and offered it, Spencer! You _stripped_ in front of me to offer it!”

“ _You were supposed to say no_!” The agonized words ripped their way out of Spencer; words he’d never been brave enough to say before. His body practically vibrated with the ache inside of him that was finally being brought to the surface. The very air around him seemed to crackle and the lights pulsed slightly in the room. He stared at the man in front of him, seeing the stunned look on Warren’s face, and it only fueled him on. “Dammit, Warren, you were supposed to say _no_. No matter my age or intelligence, I was still a _child_. I didn’t want you! I fed off of what you felt when you looked at me because it was the only way for me to stay sane through what was coming. I felt it from you first and, yes, I stripped in front of you afterwards, but only because I was already sure you were going to take it anyways, so I figured that, hell, it might as well be on my terms. But you should have said no. You should have said no and walked away!”

With iron control, Spencer forced himself to stop, to keep those words locked inside. This wasn’t supposed to be about him. He closed his eyes and drew in a few deep breaths, seeking calm. Only when he was sure he had a semblance of control did he dare open his eyes once more. “I didn’t come in here to hash out our past. I’ve resolved myself to the antagonism that exists between us. I’m here to tell you that I’ll be damned if I let you punish Remy for something that’s between you and I. You lash out at me all you want, but I swear to you here and now that I will _not_ tolerate you lashing out at him. Do it and you’ll find out what happens when you piss me off. Alex isn’t the only brother with a temper.” With that warning, Spencer turned and left the room, leaving behind a very shocked Warren.

On the walk back toward the backyard, Spencer worked to bring his calm back again, trying to push back the other emotions. He didn’t want Remy feeling them and wondering what was going on. He was probably already wondering a little bit. This was not a time for worry, but a time for celebration, and he wasn’t going to ruin it. So he pushed back all his negative emotions and focused on keeping calm.

Laughter and voices from the back echoed easily into the house through the open door. Just as Spencer reached the door, he heard Jubilee ask the one question no one had dared ask so far. “So, does this mean you’re coming back?”

Though he knew he shouldn’t, Spencer froze just out of sight inside the door. He wanted to hear what Remy’s response was. He held his breath and waited. It took only a second before Remy answered her. “I’ve got a life in DC now, petit. Spencer's got a job dere. We can’t just up and leave.”

“But, this is, like, part of who you are! You’re seriously just giving up the fight?”

“It aint just me I got to t’ink about no more. M’ choices affect more dan just me.”

Listening to him had Spencer's heart aching a little. Was he really pulling Remy away from what he wanted to do? Was Remy staying there, not because he wanted to, but because he didn’t want to force Spencer to move? Before he could rethink it, Spencer stepped out the door, his eyes going right to Remy. When eyes lifted to him, he didn’t even pretend he hadn’t heard the conversation. “Is this what you want, Remy? Do you want to be here again?”

“We got our life, Spencer, and I’m happy wit’ dat.” Remy reassured him quickly.

Still, Spencer couldn’t let it go at that. He had to make sure. Biting his lip, he looked down at his feet, suddenly feel shyer than he had with Remy in a long time. “You know…if you wanted, we could, ah, we could move here. I could put in a transfer to the New York field office. I’m sure they could use me somehow.”

Surprise rolled off of Remy. “And leave de team? Leave all dem behind? _Non_ , Spencer. I don’t wanna leave our home, our friends. Our life. I don’t want dat and neither do y’. Why would y’ suggest somet’ing like dat?”

Spencer shrugged, his cheeks heating a bit. He made himself look up and meet Remy’s eyes, trying to ignore the audience watching. “Where you go, I go.” He said the words as if they were the simplest thing in the world. And, Spencer found, they were. They were simple and utterly true. “If being here, being back on the team, is what you want, of course I’d move out here. I’m not going to keep you in DC if you don’t want to be there and I’m not letting you leave me behind. I love you, Remy. I just want you happy.”

Time seemed to stand still for a moment. Spencer realized what he’d just said and he swore his heart skipped a beat. He held his breath, unable to tear his eyes away from Remy’s stunned face. Then, in a move so fast Spencer barely saw it, Remy launched up off of his chair and straight at him. The force of Remy’s leap knocked Spencer back into the wall and he found his arms full of his Cajun. All of his bruises sprang to life, screaming out their pain at him, yet he didn’t even care because Remy was pressed up against him, warms around his neck, and then he was kissing Spencer for all he was worth.

Remy broke the kiss to pull back and stare at his eyes. “Y’ mean it? Y’ really mean it?”

Though he was still nervous, he answered quickly and truthfully. “Of course I do. I’ve loved you for quite a while now, Remy Reid. More than I ever really knew was possible.”

Joy bloomed so brightly from Remy that it was almost blinding. He buried himself against Spencer once more and the young genius swore he felt little drops of moisture hit his neck. “ _Je t’aime,_ Spencer _._ Y’r _mon amour, mon cœur_. _Je t’aime_.” The words were packed with so much emotion, so much love, that Spencer couldn’t say a word. He turned his head and buried his face against Remy’s hair and in that moment, he finally felt complete.


	19. Chapter 19

The afternoon barbeque went on for hours. Burgers and steaks were grilled and drinks flowed all around. Spencer and Remy were almost glued to one another, practically high off the new declaration between them. It was almost like the last little wall between them had been broken and now they were truly, completely connected. The feeling was amazing. They sat together, hands linked or legs touching, even something as simple as shoulders brushing together. But each touch that had become so natural to them now felt as if it took on an intimate edge. Spencer found himself eager to get back to their hotel room so that they could celebrate this feeling together the way they both wanted to.

But for the moment, they were with friends and family, and they weren’t going to run away from that. They made themselves relax and simply enjoyed the time spent with everyone. It was no real surprise to Spencer when, after lunch was eaten, Remy slipped away to the car for a moment and came back with his sketchpad and pencil. This time the duo set up in their patio chair with Spencer at the back and Remy lying back against his chest. The Cajun drew his knees up, using his thighs as a surface for his sketchbook, and he proceeded to draw the images all around him. Spencer watched over his shoulder, in awe as he always was at Remy’s skill. On paper there appeared a picture of Hank and Logan sitting on one wall, discussing something. Another was of Jubilee sprawled out in the grass with Nyssa, the both of them practically asleep. Alex and Bobby playing a game of basketball. Jean, head tipped back as she laughed. Ororo, sitting cross legged on the ground with a puppy in her lap, her typical decorum vanished. Betsy talking at one of the tables with Kurt, giving him a bright and charming smile. Scott, sitting on the wall with Logan behind him, bent down to whisper something in his ear that the expressions on their faces suggested was intimate. One after another Remy sketched them.

“Damn.” Alex’s voice interrupted Spencer's musings. He looked up to see his brother looking down at the picture Remy had just finished of Logan tickling a squealing Jubilee. “That’s awesome, Rem.”

“ _Merci, mon frère._ ”

“Let me see.” Jean chimed in. She stretched over in her chair to look at the sketchpad. Her smile grew at what she saw there and the look she gave him was impressed. “That’s really well done, Remy. I had no idea you were such an artist. You’ve captured them perfectly.”

Without warning, Alex reached down and snatched the book. “What else you got in here?” He started to flip pages, checking out what was in there. Remy didn’t rise, though he did smirk up at him. “Y’ don’t wanna do dat, Alex. Just give me de book back.”

“What do you…augh!” The book went flying back to Remy, who caught it easily. Alex gave him a look of disgust and shuddered. “Dammit. That’s burned into my eyes now. Burned!” He spun and stalked off, muttering furiously.

Remy just laughed. He saw the eyes on him and felt Spencer's curiosity and his grin grew a little. “I t’ink he found m’ ‘Sleeping Spencer’ collection.” Turning, he looked over his shoulder at Spencer. “De one on m’ quilt from dat night in m’ studio.”

In the studio? Oh…oh! Heat filled Spencer's cheeks. He remembered that night. The night had been clear and he and Remy had taken a quilt up to the attic studio and spread it out underneath one of Remy’s skylights. Then they’d laid together and looked up at the stars. They’d made love there, underneath the starlight, before passing out together. Spencer hadn’t known that Remy had drawn him while sleeping. He could only imagine just how much of himself was visible in that picture. No wonder Alex had freaked out. That wasn’t a way anyone wanted to see their baby brother.

Spencer's blush had everyone laughing. Betsy let out a whistle and winked at them. While everyone else was laughing, Scott shook his head and made his way over to the couple. He stopped by the chair and flicked at Remy’s shades, catching his attention. “Let me steal you for a minute, Remy. I want to talk to you about something.”

The random request had Remy turning to slant a look at Spencer, who nodded lightly. With a casual shrug, Remy said “ _Oui_ , Fearless.” With a twist of the spine that shouldn’t have been possible, Remy turned and gave Spencer a kiss, murmuring against his lips “Be right back.”

“I’ll be here.” Spencer murmured back.

One last kiss and then Remy rose from the chair to follow Scott into the house. Spencer knew what his brother was going to talk to Remy about; he’d already talked about it to Spencer, just to feel him out and see what he thought of it. What he wanted to do was talk to Remy about still working with the house, at least in one sense of the word. Though it wasn’t talked about, and most people probably didn’t know, Remy had been ‘Scotty’s thief’, as he put it, for quite a while. Working on jobs here and there to help the cause and help the household. Jobs that only a skilled thief could manage. Scott wanted to see if Remy would still be willing to work jobs like that. He’d be sent the job information so that he could review it and decide if he wanted to do it or not. It would be all his to plan out and take care of on his own schedule, provided there wasn’t a deadline. He’d have the ability to say no if he wanted. Spencer thought that it was a good idea. Not only would Remy be able to stay working, as Spencer knew he would like to do, but he’d be able to still fight for the dream in his own way without giving up any part of their current life. He thought that Remy would like it and that it would be good for him and he’d told Scott that. Now it was just up to Remy.

Unfortunately, Remy leaving left Spencer sitting alone in his chair with only Alex and Logan here that he really knew. In that moment, the thing happened that Spencer had been hoping to avoid. So far everyone had been all about talking to Remy and finding out things that had happened to him or what their life had been like the past few months. They’d been reconnecting with their friend. Now suddenly the attention seemed to shift towards him. Logan, Warren and Jean were the only three here that had ever met Spencer before, though the others had heard a little bit about him.

It was Jean who broke the sudden quiet, smiling at him in that motherly sort of way that she had. “So I hear you two have to go back home tomorrow, Spencer. It was nice that you could get a couple days off to take care of things. I know time off is hard for you to come by.”

“Yes, it generally can be.” He admitted. “There’s always the risk of being called in during that time, as well. But I didn’t request this time off. I’m on a two week leave right now that is _technically_ medical leave.”

“Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine.” He answered automatically. Almost immediately, Alex scoffed and said “Fine, right. You were in a sling, brat. Which, by the way, your husband totally ratted you out on. He says you’re supposed to be in it for a few more days. So where is it?”

A defensive look crossed Spencer's face and he scowled at his brother. “It’s back at the hotel room. I’ll tell you the same thing I told Remy—I’m fine. My shoulder feels much better, thank you.”

“Yeah?” Alex bent down, scooping up the basketball at his feet. “Catch!” With no more warning than that, he threw it at Spencer. Quickly Spencer lifted his arms to catch the ball, yet it still managed to hit his chest even as he caught it. The impact of the ball not only hit the bruising on his chest, but his shoulder screamed at him for moving it so quickly and for trying to catch. He had to clench his hands down on the ball and bow his head down for a second with his eyes screwed shut just to keep the groan of pain from rolling out of him. When he had it under control, he looked up once more and his scowl was even deeper. He didn’t stop to think about it before he sent a short charge into the ball and threw it back. It was extremely satisfying to watch Alex catch the ball and jolt when the electricity zapped him.

Logan prevented it from turning into an all-out fight by slapping the ball out of Alex’s hands and growling at them both. “Keep it up and I’ll tie up the both of ya. Can’t you two behave for five damn minutes together?”

“No.”

“Hell no.”

Their simultaneous answers brought laughter to the group. In an obvious effort to turn things away from anymore potential arguing, Ororo picked the conversation back up. “What is it that you do for work, Spencer?” she asked him.

Spencer shifted a little in his seat, curling his arm up and trying to discreetly cradle it close. Catching the ball hurt far more than he wanted to admit to. Damn Alex for having to be an ass. He tried to adjust to ease the ache while he answered Ororo’s question. “I’m a profiler at the BAU.” At the confused looks he got, he clarified. “That’s the Behavioral Analysis Unit in the FBI.”

“Him and the team study human behavior and shit like that and they use it to make profiles to help them catch serial killers, arsonists, and other nasty bastards. “Alex explained.

“You’re a Fed?” The incredulous question burst from Jubilee. She was staring at him with wide eyes and a hint of a laughing grin starting. “Seriously? And your brothers are Cyke and Havok, and you’re married to _Remy_? And you’re a _Fed_?”

Humor quirked Spencer's lips. The reaction didn’t surprise him. It was kind of to be expected. “It does seem rather strange, doesn’t it? But yes, I am, as you put it, a ‘Fed’. And before anyone asks, Remy knew about my work before he married me.” Finally comfortable, he picked up his wine glass once more and took a sip. “It’s part of the reason I’ve never come here before. Scotty and I decided a long time ago that it was safest to kind of keep this part of our lives separate. It was less of a risk for us if I cold honestly claim that I didn’t know anything about the life here. I always knew general information, enough to get by, but not details.”

“That’s why Scooter don’t say much about him, either.” Logan threw out. “Keeps him safe as well.”

Alex nodded in agreement. He came over, throwing himself down into a chair by Spencer. “I never really liked it, but it was smart. Scott didn’t want the chance that someone would connect Cyclops and SSA Dr. Reid and try to use the situation. Plus, we’re kind of protective of our little brat here.”

“Shut up.” Spencer grumbled quietly.

“Doctor?” Hank asked. He’d been mostly quiet so far but that seemed to have intrigued him. “You seem rather young to be a doctor.”

“He’s a genius, Hank, didn’t ya know?” Smirking, Alex reached over and ruffled Spencer's hair, laughing at the scowl it earned him. “The brat has an IQ of 187, an eidetic memory, and he can read something like twenty thousand words a minute. He has B.A.’s in philosophy, psychology and…”

“Sociology.” Spencer filled in.

“Right. And Ph.D.’s in Engineering, Chemistry and Mathematics. Little shit started college when he was just barely thirteen, I think. He’s our Urkel.”

It was habit to roll his eyes and shake his head at that comment. He’d heard it far too many times for there to be any real sting to it. “Is that jealousy I’m picking up from you, big brother?” He rolled his head to the side and quirked an eyebrow at Alex.

Alex snorted at the accusation. “Jealousy? You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“No, no, I think it might be.”

“You’re so full of shit, brat. Why the hell would I be jealous of you? Get off it.”

“You can deny it all you want. But you can’t like about emotions to an empath, Alex. And I’m pretty sure that’s a little hint of jealousy I’m detecting there.”

Turning a little towards him, Alex glared at Spencer. “Really? And what is it you’re detecting now, shithead?”

Without missing a beat, Spencer said “Bruised ego.” He let a slow smile curve his lips. “Hit a little too close to home there, Lexi?”

He really hadn’t been thinking. If he had, he probably wouldn’t have pushed his luck. Though he wasn’t admitting it to others he knew he was still too bruised to be roughhousing. Still, trading barbs with Alex was second nature. The insults came out before he could really think about the consequences. Alex was the one person in the world that could make him act before he thought. That was what happened right then. The words came out of his mouth before he could stop to think about what reaction he might get. If he’d thought about it, he would’ve known what would happen. But he hadn’t, and so he wasn’t prepared when Alex reached out and shoved the side of his chair, toppling him over. Spencer hit the ground and his wine spilled everywhere, splashing all over him and the floor. His shoulder caught the ground and for a moment the world went white as the pain exploded. He didn’t even notice when the back of his hand caught a part of his broken wine glass.

Everyone moved forward at the pained sound that Spencer made. Surprisingly, it was Alex who moved the quickest, hopping up and quickly going to drop down by Spencer's head. “Pidge? Dammit, pidge, where does it hurt? Shit.” He must’ve caught sight of Spencer's hand because he started to swear even more. He grabbed a bandana from his pocket and wrapped it around the bleeding part of Spencer's hand. “Shit, shit. Dammit, pidge, why’d you piss me off? Man, Scott’s gonna kick my ass. Come on, let’s get you up. Come on.” With hands that were extremely careful, he started to sit Spencer up. Through the pain, Spencer was vaguely aware of Alex’s words. His vision cleared as he and Alex slowly made their way to their feet. Logan was on the other side of him, trying to keep him steady.

Once he was sure he had his balance, Spencer looked over at Alex, who was watching him with so much concern. “Spence, you okay, man? I’m so sorry! I didn’t even think about your bruises. Are you bleeding anywhere else? Are you all right?”

For a second Spencer debated what to say or do. Then he mentally shrugged and gave in to his baser urges. With the hand that wasn’t bleeding, he balled it up into a fist and let it fly right into Alex’s nose. It was more than satisfying to watch Alex stumble back and clutch at his face. “ _Now_ I feel better.” Spencer answered.

“Son of a bitch!” Alex pulled a hand back and looked down to find blood there. “You bloodied my nose, Spencer! What the hell?”

“You knocked me out of a chair, Alexander!”

“So you retaliate by punching me in the face? What the hell kind of bitch move is that?”

Before they could argue any further, Logan’s deep voice broke in between them. “Enough! Alex, sit yer ass down and pinch your nose off. Spencer, get over here and sit down and let Blue look at ya. And I swear, I’ll beat the next one of you knuckleheads that wants to throw another punch. Now, move!”

With distinctly sulky expressions, the two brothers moved.

CXCX

Scott and Remy were just finishing up their conversation about that time. Scott had laid out all the details of what he was thinking and Remy was sitting back now, contemplating it. The idea was interesting. There was no denying that he was interested by it. He’d not only be able to do something that he honestly enjoyed, but he’d be doing something to help people, a thing that was a definite bonus to him. He’d be getting to help people while at the same time making use of his skills and still having the freedom to be able to be home when Spencer was home, so they’d still get to see one another. Plus, it was work he could get without worrying about his eyes being noticed and ruining his job. Yes, this definitely was worth thinking about.

Gaze a little sharper, he looked up from where he’d been staring at his beer. “What about funding? Are any expenses gonna come out m’ own pocket?”

If Scott knew he’d won, he was gracious enough not to look smug about it. “All reasonable expenses will be funded through me. I won’t expect an itemized list of expenses, though. I trust that you won’t hose me too much.”

“Y’ get de family discount, _mon frère_.”

“So, is this something you’re interested in then?”

“Y’ give me a little time and I’ll talk it over with Spencer.” A quick grin flashed over Remy’s face, replacing the business expression he’d been wearing with one of humor. “Aint stupid enough to commit to somet’ing without talking to _mon mari_ first, even if’n y’ said he’s fine with it. Quick way to get m’ ass handed to me, _non_?”

“Got you trained, huh?” Scott teased.

Warmth lit Remy’s face and he smiled broadly and without shame. “ _Oui_.” He started to say more when he felt temper echo down the link from Spencer before being followed by pain. He felt the pain give way to this strange love/anger mix that he’d only felt when Spencer was mad at Alex. Remy sent a questioning sense towards his husband and the worry inside him faded when Spencer sent back a sense of love and reassurance.

Suddenly Alex’s voice echoed faintly in towards them. _“Son of a bitch!”_ they heard him shout. The two froze, turning to look towards the door right as they heard him add on _“You bloodied my nose, Spencer! What the hell?”_

“Shit.” Scott shoved back his chair and rose to his feet. “I swear, those two are going to be the death of me one day.” He stopped long enough to look down at Remy and say “Why don’t you take a little time in here, think about things, and I’ll go handle the two raging idiots outside.” Then he was striding out of the office in a way that had Remy almost pitying Spencer and Alex. Almost. Not enough to go out there and brave a furious Scott, though. He’d just let Spencer handle that one on his own. Amused, Remy rose from his chair, stretching himself out slightly.

He tried to do as Scott suggested and take a moment to think about this idea. Only, when he let his thoughts roam, it wasn’t over this. His thoughts drifted somewhere else entirely. He tried to put his thoughts back on track but they just wouldn’t listen. They kept drifting to one thing and one thing only—Rogue. Eventually, Remy sighed. Then he gathered up his courage and left the office.

It wasn’t hard for him to find her. Once, he had known all her little quirks. The things she liked and didn’t like, where she went when upset or angry, the gestures she made to show she was nervous or scared. He’d known all of it. And despite everything that had changed, those things still seemed to be the same. She was hiding out in her room as she usually did when upset. He knew that, if he opened the door and looked, he’d find her curled up in her bed, clutching that ratty old stuffed bunny that she didn’t admit to anyone she had. She’d never say just who gave it to her. The most he’d ever gotten, and that was with _lots_ of prying, was that she’d had it since she was just a little girl. Otherwise, she said nothing more.

Remy had to pause to gather his courage before he could bring himself to knock on the door. He didn’t want to do this and yet, at the same time, he did. He had to, really. This couldn’t be left unresolved like this. They needed to square things away between them once and for all. For him, for her, and for the others around them. This had to be resolved somehow.

The “Go away!” that was shouted through the door was expected. As he’d done countless times before, Remy ignored it completely and instead, he opened the door. He was barely inside before she was sitting up in the bed and glaring furiously at the door. “Ah said go away!” she shouted. When she saw who it was, her face grew even harder. “What the hell are you doing in here? Get outta mah room!”

“ _Non_ , Rogue.” Remy kept as calm as he could. Deliberately he stepped fully inside and then shut the door behind him. Then he turned to meet her gaze head on. “I aint leaving. Not until we deal with dis somehow. I can’t leave dis unresolved between us.”

“There aint nothing to resolve. Ah don’t want nothing to do with you!”

Remy wasn’t sure where the words came from, but he found them spilling past his lips, and they felt right. “Maybe y’ don’t, _mais_ I’ve got some t’ings to say to y’ and some t’ings I want answered. Y’ and Remy, we meant somet’ing to each other once. If y’ remember any of dat, den at de least sit here and hear me out, _s’il tu plait_. And if y’ still want me to leave when I’m done, I’ll go. _Mais_ I’ve earned de right to say m’ piece.”

He wasn’t sure at first what she would do. There was so much anger coming from her. But she surprised him; the anger faded slightly and she seemed to wilt just a little on her bed. When she spoke, her voice still held anger, but it wasn’t quite as strong as it had been. “Talk fast, swamp rat.”

“ _D’accord_.” It was now or never. This was the only chance he’d get and he knew it. Time to say the things he’d always wanted to say to her. “I know dat what y’ saw from me, de t’ings y’ learned, dey changed how y’ saw me. How could dey not? Dere’s a lot of m’ life dat I never let y’ into, Rogue. And y’ got every right to be mad about dat. Partners, dey should tell one another t’ings, _oui_? Dey should share t’ings. Y’ and me, we aint never been really honest with one another.”

“Now wait…!”

“ _Non_ , Rogue. I aint done yet.” He cut her off gently yet firmly. When he was sure she was quiet, he continued. The words just kept coming, pulling up from deep inside. “We weren’t honest and y’ know it. We both kept our secrets. De t’ing is…m’ past, it aint somet’ing y’ could handle. Maybe dat aint right of me to say, _mais_ it’s de truth. Who I was, de t’ings I’ve done, de person I was, it aint somet’ing y’ could’ve handle and still looked at me. We’ve both got darkness in us; I t’ink dat’s part of what drew us together. Y’ just don’t wanna admit to dat dark part of y’. Y’ try so hard to cling to de light, _femme_. Y’ want so bad to be light and good dat it just about rips y’ apart.” Pausing, Remy looked down at his hands. He chuckled mirthlessly. “I got de opposite problem. I’ve always known m’ darkness. It’s de light in me dat I’ve had a hard time seeing. M’ Papa brought it out in me fo’ a while and den t’ings…t’ings chased it away again. _Mais_ being wit’ y’, I felt it again, just a little. I felt dat light in m’ soul and I fought so hard to be good. I thought maybe I could finally make up fo’ de t’ings I’d done.”

“Some things can’t be erased.”

“No, dey can’t.” He agreed. “Some t’ings leave a stain on our soul dat we can’t never wash away. I got m’ fair share of dem. For a while, wit’ y’, I tried to pretend I didn’t. I tried to pretend dey wasn’t dere. I tried to pretend to be somet’ing I wasn’t. That’s not me, though. Dat aint me, Rogue. I made m’self into someone else when I was wit’ y’ and fo’ dat, I’m sorry. Y’ deserved better dan a lie like dat. _Je suis désolé_.”

His apology obviously caught her off guard. But it took a weight off of Remy’s chest that he hadn’t even realized he’d been carrying. Saying all of this to her felt _good_. It felt like he was lancing an old wound that had started to fester. All of the bad was dripping out, cleansing him so that, when he was done, he might finally be able to heal. Only, there was one last thing. One question he had to ask; had to know the answer to. His eyes found hers and held them as he asked the question he was afraid he already knew the answer to. “Here, it’s just de two of us. Let’s be honest fo’ once, Rogue. We both deserve dat. I deserve to know de truth. Did y’ ever love me? Even a little?”

He honestly didn’t think that she’d answer him. He never expected to get any true answer out of her. But she stunned him completely by letting out a sigh not flinching away from his gaze as she answered him. “Ah think ah loved who ah thought you were. But now, knowing what ah know, listening to everything you just said….ah can’t. Ah don’t really know if ah ever did. You’re not who ah thought you were, Rem.”

“ _Je sais_.” Remy bowed his head and closed his eyes. When he lifted his head once more, his eyes were clear and dry. “ _Merci_ fo’ de trut’.” Then he turned and walked toward the door. He paused after opening it, one hand braced on the frame. Slowly he turned to look at her once more. “I tried being who y’ wanted me to be. I tried being de person y’ thought I was. _Mais_ …I was miserable. Now I aint changing who I am fo’ no one. I found someone dat loves me fo’ me, darkness and all. He don’t mind m’ dark spots. He don’t care about m’ past. He looks at me and he sees past de bullshit, past de lies and de cover ups and every defense I ever put up to protect m’self. He sees past all dat—and he loves me anyways. Dat amazing, beautiful man loves me. I hope one day y’ find somet’ing like dat fo’ y’rself.”

Without another word, Remy slipped silently out the door, letting it click shut behind him with just a whisper.

CXCX

It was a slightly lighter Remy that made his way back downstairs and onto the back porch. Almost the instant he was out there his eyes went to the person that was most important. Spencer was standing against a wall with Scott in front of him. The older brother looked furious and was obviously lecturing Spencer, even if no one else could hear. On the other side of the porch, Alex was sitting in a chair, very obviously sulking. Everyone else was carrying on conversation in between them as if nothing had happened. Remy looked at them all and picked the easiest option to walk up to and ask “What happened?”

Jubilee was all too eager to tell him. By the time she was done, Remy understood why he’d felt what he had from Spencer. And while he knew that brothers fought and thee two fought more than most, he couldn’t stop himself from having that small urge to go and add his own hit to the one Spencer had given. However, that wasn’t his place. This was between brothers and he wasn’t foolish enough to really get between that. At least, not over something so small. He turned himself once more and looked over at Spencer. It looked like Scott was finally winding down. Spencer's eyes were no longer on his brother, though. They had moved toward Remy. He quirked his head slightly and looked at Remy as if trying to figure out some sort of puzzle. Then his lips curved into that little half smile that Remy so loved to see.

How on earth had he gotten so lucky? Everything he’d told Rogue was true. Somehow, despite all his darkness, despite his past, despite everything that Remy had going against him, somehow Spencer saw past all of it and still loved him anyways. Loved him in a way that no one else ever had. That love flowed over to him now, filling him, warming the last of those cold places that the Artic had left inside of him. For the first time in years Remy truly felt alive. Not just living, but alive. Spencer had taken a broken down shell of a person, someone so broken and frozen on the inside that it was any wonder he was still functioning, and he had helped him to heal. He’d provided strength and kindness and caring. Most of all, he’d given love. Even before he’d ever said the words, he’d given Remy his love. Was there any greater gift than that?

Nothing he had ever done or ever could do would be enough to make him deserving of a gift as precious as that, yet he wasn’t foolish enough to turn it away. He took it gave his own and in that give and take, he found more peace than he’d ever known was possible.

Remy barely realized as his feet started to carry him forward. He didn’t pay attention to the people that watched, or to the way that Scott turned to look, or to anything else but the electric eyes that never wavered from him. When he got close, Spencer opened his arms and Remy easily slipped in, wrapping his own around Spencer's waist. He drew that long, lean form against him, their bodies seeming to line up just perfectly, and it was only natural to dip his head down those few inches and press their lips together. Their kiss carried every inch of their love, every feeling that held no words. They broke for air and Remy pressed their foreheads together, their breath mingling between them until it seemed like they were living and breathing and feeling only one another. The words came so easy then, so perfectly. “ _Je t’aime,_ Spencer. _Mon mari. Mon cœur._ ”

“I love you too, Remy.”

Drawing in a shared breath, Remy let it back out, letting go of every last drop of tension inside. “Take me to de hotel, _mon mari_. Den, tomorrow, take me home. I’m ready to go home.”

Spencer's arms tightened around his neck. He said nothing, only tipped up once more to kiss him. With that kiss, he said everything. Here, with each other, they were already home.


End file.
